A pasta night? Want to have some recipe ideas to serve yourself a delicate vegan pasta dish? You are in the right place. Keep reading the article to find out more about vegan pasta recipes.
Pasta- the staple food for many is a wonder in itself. Not only it’s tasty and filling but tells you a story about every ingredient it is made up of. Every time you have it, you will find something different in it.
And not that it has very different spices or sauces, but it’s about the way it is cooked. As the people cooking it make it seem and taste very different, no doubt why you find it interesting every time you eat it.
Though it is an Italian staple, people all across the globe dine it every single day. They add different local spices, sauces, herbs, and other ingredients to make it more palatable.
And in the coming years, we have seen different versions of pasta. But what about vegans? Can vegans have pasta? Is there anything like vegan pasta? And if there is, what is a decent recipe?
Well, no worries. All you have to do is to complete reading the blog and go about your kitchen to surprise everyone with your culinary expertise unless you aren’t that good at cooking. Just kidding. But first, let’s find out if pasta can be vegan.
Is Pasta Vegan?
Well, traditional pasta is very much made up of plant products-
- Semolina
- Wheat flour
In the coming years, people started making pasta out of rice, legumes, and even sweet Potatoes! But, isn’t that interesting to see that no matter how many changes were made pasta still stands to be vegan? All these ingredients are nothing but completely plant-based.
But does that mean pasta is vegan? As very disheartening as it is, not all pasta is vegan. Some of them might be made up of cheese or any other animal protein. Despite the fact that it is a cakewalk to get vegan pasta, pasta is not always vegan. The add-ons on the dish or the type of sauce you get served will tell you another story.
The best way is to be aware of the ingredient list before you buy vegan pasta, or in fact, anything that is vegan (silent chuckles).
Now, let’s first get into the sauce before we discuss the dishes.
Vegan Pasta Sauce
What is pasta without sauce? Well, some people might like it without sauce, but the sauce adds to level up the entire taste of the dish. No doubt why people have been using pasta sauce for centuries.
Now whatever you make your pasta sauce with, see if the things you are using to make the sauce is vegan-friendly.
And here we share with you a great vegan pasta sauce recipe that will take you no more than 30 minutes to prepare. And it’s so simple, you will die to make it more frequent.
Here is the list of ingredients you need to have before you go for your sauce.
- Pasta Water:
Okay, what? Yes, you do need pasta water. Don’t ask why. It’s because it adds a whole new perspective to your dish. Apart from all that starch and salt, it thickens the sauce and glues it with the pasta. Won’t you like that with your regular vegan pasta? Well, surely you do.
- Tomatoes:
And there were go. What is even pasta sauce without tomatoes? Apart from all the vitamins, minerals, and lycopene, they are very good for the heart and potentially good for cancer as well. Also, they are the main ingredient in your sauce, if that’s what you are wondering.
- Spices and oil:
Spices give a beautiful flavor to vegan pasta and help in digestion. Well, you can add different spices of your own according to your preference. And as usual, add some olive oil to give it a go.
Olive oil is a very healthy option too, and if you are wondering to know more about it, go check our blog on the benefits of having olive oil.
- Onions and Garlic:
It might be the last ingredient but certainly not the list. It tastes amazing when added you your sauce. You can use any onion, be it the traditional white one or the red one.
Easy Vegan pasta Recipe
Now here’s how you can make the best vegan pasta sauce in some minutes.
Step-1: With some olive oil on your heating pan, add some chopped onions and garlic and let it cook for 5 minutes. This helps the sauce get the flavors of both onions and garlic.
Step-2: Now the next step is to add some spices and veggies to the pan. You can either cut them into small cubes or just add a veggie paste. Give them a good mix to make sure that you get the most out of the flavors.
Step-3: It’s time for your tomatoes to go into the pan. Add them with some herbs and pepper and let them cook for 15 solid minutes.
Step-4: Now smash up the tomatoes and add the pasta water to the sauce to make it nice and creamy. When it’s time, get them all into that blender to make it smooth like butter.
The best part about this plant-based pasta sauce recipe is that you can have it with rice or any carb source that suits you, including pasta, of course.
Now let’s look into,
Some of the delicious vegan pasta dishes
Before you try to make it in our way, you can always experiment with it to make it taste the right way. In this article, we have tried to make your pasta simple and very palatable.
Here are some of the popular picks for vegan pasta recipes:
- Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil:
Sphaggeti is the real deal, and sometimes when you add garlic and olive oil to it, it becomes delicious. Like really delicious. This takes little effort to prepare and makes it a very worthy vegan pasta dish after all.
- The Tomato-Basil Delight:
Well, tomatoes and pasta seem to share a good bond. Isn’t it? With the sauce we just talked about earlier, you can even make this vegan pasta juicy and delicious. Try it out, you won’t regret it.
- Caramelized Onion Vegan Pasta:
As fancy as it seems from its name, this vegan pasta is fancier than most of the pasta dishes you have ever tried. The caramelized onions give it a different texture and flavor altogether. And the tomatoes, both chopped ones, and the paste make it a very delicious combo. And even if you are not a vegan, it will still make you crave more.
- Vegan Lasagna:
Talking about pasta and not about Lasagna is a huge sin. Especially being one of the oldest pasta types, you can’t miss it. The creamy white sauce (bechamel) with vegan butter, ricotta made from tofu, veggies, and tangy, tomato sauce gives it a very interesting taste. In addition, your paleo friends might also fall for it.
- Spring Leek and Lemon Pasta:
Well, spring is one of the most beautiful seasons and this vegan pasta very much tastes like it. All you can see is Leek, Raddish, mint, and pea pesto with a nutty flavor, and basils to even level that up. Sounds interesting, right? It is and if you can garnish it with lemon zest, then Voila! That’s heaven.
Craving something sweet? Must Check – Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
The wrap-up
Though pasta is something that we all eat, pasta being completely vegan is a different thing. Especially, when you don’t add any milk cheese, or meat, it has to be certainly different, but not boring. Rather, people eating meat fall for this. The best way to make a really good vegan pasta is to add a decent sauce to it and keep it simple. Remember, the simpler it is, the better.
Here in this article, we have picked some great, yet simple plant-based pasta recipes for you. Beyond all that, you are always welcome to add your expertise to the dish. Experiment with different spices, herbs, veggies, oils, etc. to make it taste out of the box!
FAQs
- Can pasta be vegan?
Well, yes. Pastas can very much be vegan. Traditionally they were only made up of semolina and enriched wheat flour. With time passing by, people started adding different base materials like rice, beans, legumes, etc. but still, they were all plant-based. However, you need to avoid using ingredients that aren’t vegan while making your pasta.
- What about pasta sauce? Is it vegan?
Yes, pasta sauce can be vegan. Vegan pasta sauce is simple to make, takes you some minutes, and is very palatable.
- Can vegan pasta be delicious?
To be precise, yes. But, that also depends on how you choose to cook it. If you give it all the care it needs while it is getting cooked- perfect spices, herbs, temperature, oil, etc., it tastes out of the world. We have shared some dishes from the internet. You can try that out too.
Bikash Nayak
Apart from writing 5 days a week, Bikash is a full-time vegan. He is passionate and a vivid explorer(only when it comes to food). With years of experience around veganism, he talks about vegan goodies, restaurants, and supplements. Oh, he loves chess and astronomy(and food, too!).
