This quick and easy dish is a favorite in my cooking classes. Pasta shells stuffed with light and fluffy (and vegan!) Almond Ricotta and liberally doused with marinara sauce is a truly satisfying entrée. Although this recipe calls for large pasta shells, feel free to substitute other large stuff able shapes, such as manicotti or cannelloni. Recipe adapted from Artisan Vegan Cheese* by Miyoko Schinner, ©2012 Book Publishing Company, reprinted by permission. Continue Reading…
Pasta, beans, and greens are a classic trio in Italian cookery. It’s easy to see why—the combination is healthful and hearty. This recipe uses escarole, a sturdy green whose slight bitterness is tempered by cooking. You’ll find it near the lettuces in the produce section. If you’d like, you can substitute an equal amount of curly chicory or a medium-sized bunch of chard. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky. Continue Reading…
Cincinnati “Chili Mac” features hearty bean chili with varying ingredients and seasonings. The one standard factor is that it’s always served over spaghetti. A touch of sweet spices (such as cinnamon or allspice) are added as well. The result: a hybrid recipe that’s uniquely American. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky. Continue Reading…
This easy and delectable recipe combines roasted eggplant, peppers, and broccoli with pasta. It’s perfect for cool weather months, when you want something comforting yet not too heavy, with plenty of flavorful vegetables. Serve with a big chickpea or bean salad and a crusty bread. Adapted from Vegan Express. Photo by Susan Voisin, FatFree Vegan Kitchen. Continue Reading…
This quick and nourishing pasta recipe combines greens with chickpeas and olives for a tasty, healthy dish. Specifically, this recipe calls for chard, kale, or spinach, but you can use a combination or even substitute broccoli rabe or mustard greens. My personal favorite in this dish is chard, as it’s so good in the Italian-style trio of pasta with greens and legumes. Just add a colorful salad and you’ve got a meal. Recipe from Wild About Greens* by Nava Atlas.
Spinach and lentils are often paired in Indian cuisine. Here, they are given an unusual context when combined with pasta in this Curried Pasta recipe. For a delicious meal, serve with a fresh flatbread and sliced cucumbers in coconut yogurt, garnished with cilantro. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
It is hard to believe that something that can be whipped up in a matter of minutes can be so good, but it really is! Makes enough for 1 pound of pasta. With additional nutritional yeast, this can be used as a cheese sauce for lasagna. You can vary this by sautéing onions, mushrooms, diced red bell peppers or other vegetables first, then adding the other ingredients. Contributed by Miyoko Schinner. Make sure to view the related video demonstrating how to make this delicious sauce. Continue Reading…
Discover this recipe for Vegan Fettuccine with Peas and Alfredo Sauce without delay! The “Parmesan” cheese is replaced by nutritional yeast. As for the creamy alfredo sauce, it is made with vegetable broth and plant based milk.
Chard is a beloved kitchen-garden vegetable in Italian cuisine, from which this pasta dish is inspired. Combined with beans and fresh tomatoes, this stick-to-your-ribs late summer penne pasta recipe will satisfy the heartiest of appetites. A big salad and fruity dessert complete the meal. Continue Reading…
Pasta and veggie combos are always welcome, no matter what time of year. Though not a traditional combination, I long ago discovered that pasta marries well with curry. With the addition of cauliflower and chickpeas, this recipe makes a tasty Italian-Indian fusion dish that’s ready in 30 minutes or so. Use a whole-grain or even a gluten-free pasta. This tastes just as good at room temperature as it does warm (or even hot!). Serve with fresh corn during the summer; or any green vegetable for cooler weather meals. Add a big salad and you’re all set. Photos by Evan Atlas. Continue Reading…
Here’s one of my favorite uses for vegan sausage. This hearty Creole-flavored Pasta Jambalaya recipe makes a dish full of bold flavor. If you have more time, make a pan of vegan corn bread—a wonderful addition to this meal, as is Creole Coleslaw. Continue Reading…
This tofu noodle skillet is a vegan version of the vintage tuna-noodle casserole that evokes 1950s TV moms in shirtwaist dresses, wearing pearls. Firm and chewy baked tofu stands in for the tuna. The first few time I made this, I baked it, which tends to dry it out quite a bit.
When I made it again, I realized that there’s really no reason to bake it, as all the ingredients are cooked and ready, needing just a spin in the skillet to pull eveything together. However, if you’d like to make this more casserole-like, simply transfer to a small casserole dish and serve from there. Or, you can make it ahead of time, and then reheat briefly in the oven in a casserole dish. Serve this mild dish with plenty of green veggies — broccoli, broccoli rabe, greens, or green beans. Continue Reading…
This easy vegan mac and cheese is rich and comforting. Using pureed silken tofu as a base makes it super creamy. Boost the nutrition of this comfort food meal by serving with plenty of fresh veggies — this goes well with simply prepared broccoli or kale — and a colorful salad or platter of fresh cut vegetables with dip. For an even healthier sauce, try our Almost-Raw Cheez Sauce, based on baby carrots, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and other nutrient-dense ingredient Continue Reading…
Pappardelle, a flat ribbon noodle, is an elegant backdrop for chard, beans, and squash. It’s a substantial yet not-too-heavy main dish to serve at a company or holiday dinner or take to a gathering to share. If you do transport it, put it in a large covered casserole dish after allowing it to cool somewhat. Before serving, borrow your host’s oven, set at 350º F. to warm the dish up for 15 to 20 minutes; or microwave on High for 5 minutes to reheat. Recipe adapted from Vegan Holiday Kitchen. Photos by Susan Voisin. Continue Reading…
Here’s a hearty pasta dish featuring a healthier, nondairy version of cream-filled Alfredo sauce. This dish also has some serious plant-based “beefiness†courtesy of seitan. Serve with plenty of green vegetables (like broccoli, greens, or green beans) and a simple salad for an any-night-of-the-week meal, or even as a company dish. Recipe adapted from Plant Power: Transform Your Kitchen, Plate, and Life with More Than 150 Fresh and Flavorful Vegan Recipes by Nava Atlas (©2014, published by HarperOne, reprinted by permission). Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
At the end of the night, a restaurant staff usually wants something to eat, so the cooks come up with simple family-style dishes that use readily available ingredients. This is how mushroom carbonara came to be. Veganizing the original carbonara recipe takes a few steps, but the result is a creamy pasta dish complete with vegan bacon.Recipe and photos from Vegan Bowls: Perfect Harmony in Cozy One-Bowl Meals* © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.
It doesn’t take a lot to veganize the classic Italian-American recipe for penne alla vodka — simply replace the heavy cream that’s traditionally used in the recipe with nondairy milk or creamer. Most often, recipes for this dish call for canned tomatoes, but this one relies on fresh tomatoes, making it an appealing and easy meal for summer. Serve with a colorful salad and a steamed green veggie — broccoli or green beans are particularly good. Photos by Evan Atlas.
Chard is a beloved kitchen-garden vegetable in Italian cuisine. Combined with white beans and tomatoes, this stick-to-your-ribs pasta dish will satisfy the heartiest of appetites. This is nice with ribbon noodles, but you can use any short shape you’d like. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
Though this plant-based Pasta Primavera uses only a half-pound of pasta, it’s so chockfull of vegetables that it makes quite a heaping helping. You can serve it any time of year, but it’s an especially nice way to welcome spring, as its name implies. It’s also a pleasing main dish at spring holiday or special occasion meals, such as Easter or Mother’s Day. Serve with a simple salad of fresh greens.
Kasha Varnitchkes is a classic Jewish dish of buckwheat groats combined with pasta. I’m not sure that bow tie pasta (farfalle) has always been the traditional choice, but it’s the contemporary favorite. If you’re a kasha fan, you’ll enjoy this simple dish; it doesn’t set of any flavor fireworks, but it’s easy and comforting, like many an Eastern European specialty. Photos by Evan Atlas.
