Vegan One Pot Pasta
Does anyone else feel like healthy eating means an endless pile of dishes in the kitchen? I am seriously a pro at using way too many dishes, cutting boards, pots and appliances in my recipes. It’s something I have been trying to be more conscious of, and I have been working on turning my recipes into one pot or one bowl whenever possible.
This pasta (like many things I make) only really needs 1 pot, a blender, a knife and a cutting board to make. If I hadn’t intentionally set out to make it a one pot recipe, you can bet I would have used 3! I’m complicated like that.
VEGAN ONE POT PASTA WITH CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE
This delicious spring pasta dinner is a healthy meal and a real time saver! The veggies, gluten free pasta, and creamy vegan tomato cream sauce simmer in one pot, and turn into healthy dinner magic.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword creamy tomato pasta sauce, one pot pasta, vegan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 343kcal
INGREDIENTS
1 box Chickapea Pasta (8 ounces gluten free pasta)*
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic minced
1 bell pepper I used half orange, half yellow
2 cups green beans ends trimmed
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes chopped roughly
herbs (fresh thyme, basil, Italian parsley or green onions) to garnish
sea salt and black pepper to taste
Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce
1/3 cup cashews soaked 2 hours and rinsed
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or more, to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
black pepper to taste
2 cups water do not add to the sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak cashews in cold water for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. If you don't have time for this step, soak cashews in boiling water for 20 minutes.
Add soaked and drained cashews and diced tomatoes to a blender with all the seasonings for the sauce. Blend until very smooth, about 1-2 minutes in a high speed blender, or a bit longer in a standard blender. Set aside.
In a saucepan, add olive oil, and onions and garlic. Saute on medium high heat until the onions and garlic have begun to brown.
Add the sliced peppers and green beans, and saute until done to your liking. Remove all veggies from the pan and set aside.
In the same pot (really, there's no need to even wash it!), bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and then add Chickapea Pasta and the creamy tomato sauce. Allow to simmer on a low boil for 5-7 minutes, until the pasta is still al dente, but the sauce has begun to thicken. The sauce will seem like a lot, but will also cover the veggies.
Add the veggies and sun dried tomatoes in, and toss to coat. Garnish with fresh thyme, parsley, or basil.
This pasta is just as delicious the next day. The leftovers keep very well.
NOTES
*A box of Chickapea Pasta is 8 ounces.
To make this with another gluten free pasta (I tested with a rice & quinoa pasta):
Use 1/2 cup water extra, or thin the sauce out as the pasta cooks to preference.
Boil the pasta with water and creamy tomato sauce for closer to 12-15 minutes. Chickpea pasta cooks a lot quicker than grain based pastas.