Creamy “Vegan” Pasta Primavera
Umami-rich nutritional yeast doubles for the Parmesan Cheese. Add hamburger with red pepper for protein – non-vegan.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- small skillet
- 8 qt pot
- slotted spoon
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 3 tbsp garlic minced & divided
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ⅔ cup pine nuts
- 5 tbsp nutritional yeast divided
- 2 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ cup panko
- 1½ cup baby carrots thinly diagonally sliced – multicolored if available
- 2 cups asparagus cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen green peas thawed
- 12 oz gemelli pasta uncooked
- 1 lb grass fed beef
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 bunch basil
Instructions
- Heat pan over medium and coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Add onion and 2 tbsp garlic; cook until lightly browned ~ 10 minutes.
- Transfer onion mixture to a blender; add almond milk, pine nuts, 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Blend high speed until smooth, ~ 1 minute. Set aside.
- Heat small skillet over medium-high and add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Add remaining garlic; cook until fragrant ~ 30 seconds.
- Stir in panko, 1/4 tsp salt, and remaining nutritional yeast. Cook until panko is crispy and toasted, ~ 2 minutes.
- Bring pot of salted water to boil. Add carrots; cook 2 minutes. Add asparagus; cook 1 minute.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to an ice bath. Let cool; drain. Stir in green peas.
- Add pasta to boiling water; cook until al dente, ~12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Drain pasta, and return to pot.
- Stir in vegetables, basil, sauce, pasta cooking liquid, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium until heated through, ~2 minutes. Mix in panko.
- Heat small skillet and cook grass fed beef. Add crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon pasta into shallow bowls. Mix in grass fed beef if not vegan. Serve immediately.