Vegan One Pot Creamy Pasta Recipe

This is a simple and easy zero waste vegan one pot recipe that's perfect for weeknight dinners. As the nights get chillier and the days get shorter, there’s nothing better than an easy dinner and a night in!

If you're like me, there's one thing I hate more than waste, and that's washing up! With this recipe everything goes into the one pot, giving you more time to enjoy your pasta and less time doing dishes.

Vegan Pasta Recipe

All of the dry ingredients can be sourced from bulk food stores, but don’t stress if you do not have access to one. There is one well-known pasta brand that now comes in plastic-free cardboard boxes, and you can buy bulk nuts from many supermarkets and fruit and veg stores now. Just remember to bring your mesh bags to the store! This recipe can be made gluten-free by choosing a gluten-free pasta, and nut free by using the alternatives suggested below.

Recipe serves 2 so simply double-up for a family of 4.

Vegan One Pot Creamy Pasta Ingredients

• 250 grams dried pasta of your choice
• Gold veggies: Around 2 cups chopped pumpkin and 3 medium sized carrots (any mix of both or one is fine!)
• Optional green veggies: A handful or two of anything you have laying around in your fridge or excess from your garden will do! I like to add zucchini, broccoli or spinach.
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 cup cashew nuts, soaked for about 10 mins (for a nut-free alternative, use 2 tablespoons of besan flour mixed with a little water, or 1/4 cup of coconut milk.)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt (adjust to taste)
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or a small handful of fresh basil from your garden. (optional, but recommended!)

What You'll Need To Make Vegan Pasta Recipe

• Blender or food processor. SAFETY NOTE: Many blenders are not safe to use for hot ingredients. If in doubt, or your blender is not safe to use when ingredients are hot, please ensure you cool the veggies (and use cold water) first before blending for safety.
• Medium to large saucepan.
• Sharp knife.
• Measuring cup and teaspoon.
• Slotted spoon.
• Collander.

How to Make Vegan Pasta

Fill the saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, peel and chop the gold veggies into medium sized chunks and boil until soft (around 10 mins.) Remove them with a slotted spoon. Now it’s time to throw the pasta into the same pot, and cook until al-dente. You may need to top the water up a little at this point.

About 3 minutes before the pasta is ready, pop in the green veggies. When the pasta is ready, drain the pasta and green veggies and return them to the pot.

Blend the gold veggies with 1/3 cup hot water from the pot, crushed garlic, drained soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, solt, pepper and basil. Blend until very smooth. Add the sauce back to the pot and stir through the pasta and green veggies. Serve with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan - bonus recipe below!

 

Vegan Parmesan Recipe

Vegan Parmesan Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cashews, walnuts, almonds or a mix of any nuts
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• Pinch of salt

How to Make Vegan Parmesan:

Blend all ingredients on a pulse setting, until you achieve the chunkiness you desire. Sprinkle over your pasta!