Gosh you guys, I feel like a little kid. I’m so incredibly happy the spring weather has finally arrived. I’ve honestly been filled with cabin fever and the recipe inspiration has dwindled. But with the warmer temps making their appearance, I feel like I’ve gotten a breath of fresh air…no pun intended! My kitchen (and my belly) seriously needed some new life. Some lighter, fresher flavors were definitely in order, which led me to this Spicy Garlic Vegan Pasta!
Don’t let the words lighter and fresher fool you. Just because this pasta isn’t buried under a mountain of cheese or drowning in cream doesn’t mean it will disappoint. This impressive little dish packs a major punch of flavor. I’ll give the credit to the heat of the red pepper flakes and the savory, umami-like nutritional yeast. The combination of these two flavors makes this dish anything but boring.
However, I must admit, I’m not a total vegan expert by any means. While I indulge in meatless Monday, I still indulge on plenty of cheese, meat and eggs. Since I am no expert, I was a little perplexed by the nutritional yeast. It took me a second to determine if this was even vegan compliant. After all, yeast is technically a living micro-organism. So I took to the oh-so reliable and scientific Google Search. Apparently, even though yeast is a living micro-organism, it is more along the lines of a plant than an animal.
Maybe I’m a bit naive and you already know this information. But it doesn’t hurt for a dietitian to learn a little bit along the way!
One thing I’d like to note is that even though the garlic, nutritional yeast, and red pepper flakes do the heavy lifting in this Spicy Garlic Vegan Pasta. DO NOT skip roasting the tomatoes. It may be tempting to just toss them in the pan and saute them with everything else. But, you will not get the same sweet flavor you would by roasting them. Just take the extra bit of time and roast those pretty tomatoes. It won’t take much extra effort since they cook while you put the rest of the pasta together.
While your tomatoes are roasting, you can get the pasta going. I recommend cooking the pasta for about half of the time on the package instructions. You will be simmering the pasta with the other ingredients later and you don’t want the pasta to turn to mush. When you’ve got the pasta partially cooked and ready to go, be sure to save some of the pasta water for later.
The next step can be done while the tomatoes and pasta are cooking away. Start by heating 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the diced shallots and cook until soft and caramelized This should take around 5 minutes. Then, add in garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch salt/pepper and saute for one more minute. At this point, you can add the partially cooked pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup of pasta water, spinach, and roasted tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the water has evaporated. Feel free to use additional pasta water as needed, until pasta is cooked to your liking. Finish it off with the nutritional yeast and you are ready to eat your Spicy Garlic Vegan Pasta!
Are you ready to kill the crowd without all the heavy cream and cheese? Get ready to WOW your family with this Spicy Garlic Vegan Pasta. But don’t forget to take a snapshot and tag it with #stephanieleenutrition on Instagram. I’d love to share what you whip up! Happy eating xo!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 8 ounce package Banza Penne Pasta (may substitute for penne of choice)
- 3 large shallots, diced
- 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces spinach
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt/pepper to taste. Place the cut side up on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. When done, set aside.
- While tomatoes are baking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta for half of the recommended cooking time on package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain the remaining water, cover and set aside.
- While pasta and tomatoes cook, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add thediced shallots and cook until soft, around 5 minutes. Add in garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch salt/pepper and saute for one more minute.
- Add the partially cooked pasta to the skillet along with 1 cup of pasta water, spinach, and roasted tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the water has evaporated. Add additional pasta water as needed, until pasta is cooked to your liking.
- Stir in nutritional yeast and season to your liking. Serve immediately.
