i'm not afraid of pasta. in fact, in some form, i probably eat pasta most days. while i do not think that eating a significant amount of traditional white pasta every day is the healthiest option, i have found a lot of fun, and healthy alternative ways to eat "pasta."
i've explored all of the options: brown rice pasta, lentil and bean pastas, zucchini noodles, edamame spaghetti, whole wheat varieties, and many more. many of these options are packed with protein, complex carbs, and other nutritional benefits. these alternatives are what have allowed me to justify eating noodles every day and giving into my carb cravings!
i have chosen my top 3 easy, delicious, crave-worthy, and rich pasta sauce recipes to try out with any of these pasta alternatives (or the traditional white pasta, it is all about moderation!).
these recipes each make about 2 servings, and can easily be halved or doubled. all of the ingredients used are plant-based and i use the ingredients as close to their whole forms as possible.
* i do not have the specific nutritional facts for these recipes.
"mac n cheeze"
i don't know about you, but sometimes i just miss the nostalgic feeling of mac and cheese.
now that i eat a plant-based diet and no longer consume dairy, i have been avidly testing mac and cheese recipes, store-bought boxes and vegan versions in various restaurants (gnome café in charleston, sc has been my favorite!).
i will admit - this recipe does not taste exactly like mac and cheese, obviously there is no cheese in this recipe nor do i use vegan cheese alternatives. i like to keep this recipe unprocessed and whole, and for me, the color, texture and relative taste certainly satisfies my cravings for mac and cheese.
so, let's get on with the recipe!
ingredients:
2 cups cooked macaroni/pasta of your choice
1/2 cup peeled/diced russet potatoes
1/8 cup peeled/diced carrots
1/3 cup veggie boiling water
1/4 cup whole raw cashews*
1/8 cup nondairy milk
1/8 cup nutritional yeast flakes
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch paprika/cayenne pepper for garnish (optional)
instructions:
bring a few cups of water to boil in a small pot. boil your chopped potatoes, carrots for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are fork-tender and soft enough to blend. (depending on how small you chop your veggies, time may vary)
once cooked, drain your veggies and place them into a blender with 1/3 of the vegetable cooking water, as well as your remaining ingredients.
blend until completely smooth!
pour sauce over your cooked macaroni noodles and mix together - taste for salt, garnish with fresh herb like parsley or paprika/cayenne pepper!
i would recommend soaking your raw whole cashews for a few hours to make them creamier once blended rather than grainy. another option (if ya forget to soak them as i often do) would be to boil your cashews along with your vegetables before blending.
another idea would be to place your mac n cheeze into an oven-safe baking dish and top with breadcrumbs and vegan cheddar cheese shreds, i would recommend 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
avocado pesto
this picture got a lot of attention on my @vegfordays instagram account, and was the inspiration for this post.
by far the easiest and simplest recipe of the 3 sauces, is full of healthy fats, and made entirely from whole plant-based ingredients! need i say more?
the only relatively difficult part of this recipe is managing to get multiple perfectly ripe avocados, i'm sure any avo lovers out there know the struggles.
this recipe is a creamy, decadent, filling, rich and absolutely delicious sauce - reminiscent of italy with the fresh basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil.
if you try only 1 of these recipes (though you should definitely try all 3!), try the avocado pesto!
ingredients:
2 cups cooked macaroni/pasta of your choice
2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (OR 1/8 cup EVOO and 1/8 cup water*)
1 bunch fresh basil
1/4 cup raw whole cashews/pine nuts (for nut-free recipe, sunflower seeds would also be tasty!)
juice of 1/2 lemon
top with salt & pepper to taste, and optional nutritional yeast!
instructions:
take the basil leaves off of the stems.
put all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
toss your pasta in the pesto sauce until evenly coated (this recipe goes well with spaghetti, angel hair, or any other long strand pastas)
yep, it's that easy!
this recipe goes nicely with long strand pasta varieties - spaghetti, angel hair, etc.
i love serving my pesto pasta over some arugula tossed in olive oil and lemon juice!
creamy lemon garlic
this is a more recently-developed recipe, and definitely took some trial-and-error to find the ratios of ingredients for the perfect texture. i absolutely love a good lemon-cream sauce for pasta, and the garlicky flavor adds a lot to this mellow dish.
i also find that adding a roasted vegetable element along with this sauce brings it to another level of greatness - some of my favorites would be roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, or brussels sprouts (these can all just be tossed in at the end when you throw the pasta into the sauce)!
this recipe could certainly be changed/amped up with some simple additions or substitutions like white wine or roasting the garlic cloves rather than sautéing them for a depth of flavor, but this is the way i typically make this sauce.
ingredients:
2 cups cooked pasta of your choice
pinch each sea salt + black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbs olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or other unsweet nondairy milk)
2 Tbsp all-purpose or whole wheat flour
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
instructions:
sautée garlic in olive oil on a large skillet at medium heat until garlic starts to become brown and fragrant.
add 2 tbsp flour and whisk together. cook for about 30 seconds, and then slowly add the almond milk 1/2 cup at a time.
continue to whisk on lower-medium heat until sauce thickens slightly and the flour and garlic is incorporated into the milk.
transfer sauce to a blender and add nutritional yeast, salt and pepper, and blend until smooth (this step should assist with the thickening of the sauce).
taste to adjust seasoning, and then add back into the pan to heat fully. once your sauce has reached your desired thickness, add your lemon juice and stir.
toss pasta (and veggies?) into sauce! garnish with fresh cracked black pepper and lemon wedges.
i hope you are all able to give some of these recipes a try -
most of the noodles pictured above in these recipes are brown rice varieties from either trader joe's or my local grocer, but any sort of pasta or alternative would work well with these sauces.
enjoy!