Vegan Pasta Primavera
This vegan pasta primavera recipe tosses fresh vegetables, herbs, and cooked pasta in a creamy silken tofu sauce for a healthy and delicious dinner to enjoy during spring and summer. An easy one-pot meal that’s ready in less than an hour!
Servings: 4 - 6 servings
Calories: 624kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound of your choice of pasta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 small red onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 2 cups broccoli florets roughly chopped
- 1 small zucchini sliced into half moons
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
- 1 cup of frozen peas
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 (12-ounce) box of silken tofu
- 1 cup of pasta water
- 1 ½ cups halved grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup of basil chopped
- ¼ cup of Italian parsley chopped
- Crushed red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot according to package instructions, but cook it for 2 minutes less than the recommended time. When draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside the pasta in a colander.
- Give a quick rinse to the pot, and put it on the stove over medium-high heat. Once all the water from the pot has evaporated, heat the oil.
- Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until the onions become translucent and fragrant.
- Add the broccoli, zucchini, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes regularly stirring to prevent the veggies from burning.
- Add the frozen peas, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, and juice of the whole lemon. Mix well, cover with a lid, and lower the heat to the lowest setting.
- Add the silken tofu and ½ cup of pasta water to the cup of blender, food processor, or immersion blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cream to the pot with the veggies. Mix well, turn up the heat to a medium, and cook for 5 minutes or until a light boil, occasionally mixing.
- Turn off the heat, and add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and pasta. Gently mix well and cover with the lid for 10 minutes for the pasta to finish cooking undisturbed with the heat of the sauce.
- Once the 10 minutes have passed, uncover, taste, and add more seasoning if needed. If the pasta is still slightly too raw, cover it and let it sit for 5 more minutes. When ready to serve, add the other ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, mix well, and serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe only works with silken tofu: It’s important to use silken or soft tofu to get a smooth and creamy sauce. Firmer types of tofu, like extra firm tofu, will not work. Check out this guide to tofu to learn about the different types!
- Don’t drain the pasta water: Do not forget to reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water from the pot before draining the rest! This starchy water gives the pasta sauce a silky smooth and luscious consistency and helps it cling to every noodle and vegetable.
- Keep the pot covered: Don’t be tempted to peek at the pasta once you add it to the sauce. You don’t want the hot steam to escape, as it’s needed to finish cooking the pasta.
- Serve it right away: The pasta will absorb the sauce as it sits, so you’ll want to serve it right away for the creamiest bites.
Nutrition
Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 107g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 1031mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2463IU | Vitamin C: 129mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 4mg