Description
This creamy vegan pasta is a quick and healthy weeknight meal, featuring tender pasta coated in a tangy white bean sauce and topped with sautéed broccoli and toasted pine nuts. It's plant-based, nutritious, and bursting with bright flavors from lemon and nutritional yeast.
Ingredients
Pasta and Vegetables
- 2½ cups small shell pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 5 cups broccoli florets, chopped stems, and leaves (keep stems separate)
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce
- 1½ cups cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a blender, combine white beans, vegetable broth, lemon juice, olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, sea salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set the sauce aside.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the small shell pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Cook broccoli stems: Add the chopped broccoli stems to the skillet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender to start softening them.
- Steam broccoli florets and leaves: Add broccoli florets and leaves to the skillet with a splash of water or vegetable broth. Cover the skillet and turn off the heat. Allow the broccoli to steam for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and tender.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained pasta to the skillet with broccoli. Stir in about three-quarters of the prepared sauce, adding more vegetable broth if the sauce feels too thick or dry.
- Season and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice as desired. Divide into bowls, spoon the remaining sauce on top, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- You can substitute any small pasta shape if small shell pasta is unavailable.
- For extra protein, add some sautéed tofu or tempeh.
- Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor but can be omitted or replaced with vegan Parmesan.
- To toast pine nuts, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best bright flavor.
- This recipe can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan, American