NUTRITIOUS NOSTALGIA with NOW Foods: Creamy Vegan One-Pot Pasta
Because why make comfort food difficult when it can be so. darn. easy?!
Nutritious Nostalgia comin’ in hot … we can’t believe this is our 20th episode in this series!!
We’ve long been taking your favorite comfort foods and reverse engineering them to make ‘em healthy, plant-based, and EASY… and today is no exception.
Throughout February, we’ve partnered with our friends at NOW Foods to create a brand new 3-part capsule series of deliciousness… first up on deck?
Creamy Vegan One-Pot Pasta!!
People tell us all the time that their kids “won’t eat healthy.” I challenge you to find a kid (or grown-up!!) who doesn’t like this deliciousness. Go ahead… I’ll wait!
…because when you make it THIS DELICIOUS with premium ingredients from a line like NOW Foods, you can give your family the best in nutrition AND in taste. Win/win!
Go grab some pasta at nowfoods.com with 20% off using my code NYCFITFAM through 3/31/22.
Here’s the recipe:
Creamy Vegan One-Pot Pasta
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Servings: 9
Ingredients:
FOR THE SAUCE:
● 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
● 1 1/8 cups cashews, soaked 4 hours or overnight, then drained and rinsed (see note 1)
● 4 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
FOR THE PASTA:
● Living Now® Organic Quinoa Pasta (penne, 4-5 cups dry measure)
● 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 1/2 yellow onion, small dice
● 7 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
● 1 1/2 10-12 oz jars roasted red peppers, drained and thinly sliced
● 3/8 cup NOW® Nutritional Yeast
● 3/4 teaspoon oregano
● 3/4 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
● 3/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
● 4 1/2 large handfuls baby spinach
GARNISH
● fresh basil leaves, julienned (optional)
Directions:
● Using a high speed blender, blend 1 cup of vegetable broth, the soaked cashews (that
have been drained and rinsed), and the tomato paste, until smooth and creamy. Set
aside.
● Next, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Sauté the diced onion until
softened, then add the minced garlic and continue to sauté for about a minute.
● Next, add 3 cups of broth along with the penne, sliced roasted red peppers, nutritional
yeast, sea salt, oregano and red pepper flakes. Give it a stir until all the ingredients are
distributed evenly. Cover and bring to a strong simmer (you want to make sure it’s really
going so the noodles will cook!), then turn the heat down to medium-low.
● Simmer covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from
sticking to the pan. You may need to simmer up to 5 more minutes, depending on how al
dente you like your pasta.
● Once the noodles are just about cooked to your desired texture, uncover and add the
cream sauce. Be sure that every noodle gets some delicious creaminess!
● Then add the spinach and stir it in. It might be a bit awkward to stir before it wilts, but just
keep stirring!
● Cover to let the spinach wilt, warm the cream sauce and finish cooking the noodles. Stir
in a bit more broth if you find the sauce is getting too dry for your liking.
● Serve with julienned fresh basil, if desired.
