Creamy Pasta Primavera (Vegan)

Creamy Pasta Primavera (Vegan)

Growing up Italian it was pasta and meatballs every Sunday...and sometimes Monday, Tuesday, ......you get the picture!  LOL! Don't get me wrong I still love pasta and yes I do still indulge in it sometimes. 


Plus with all the healthier options out there today you can really enjoy it again! I have been trying out the bean pasta's and some are good and some not so much. My favorite is Trader Joe's red lentil pasta. It is actually very tasty and has a pretty red color from the red lentil flour, which by the way is the only ingredient! 


Piled with my favorite veggies like broccoli, mushrooms and red pepper this dish is sure to please that pasta craving with a nutritional boost. I did go with fresh vegetables this time and roasted them up plain in the oven. Just a quick chop and roast is all they need. While they are roasting is when I cooked the pasta and made the walnut sauce. I love seeing a rainbow of colors in my bowl - so pretty!

 The sauce is simple as it only calls for vegetable broth, walnuts, fresh parsley & cilantro, red curry paste, lemon juice and salt & pepper.  Depending on how spicy you like it you can always add more red curry.  Lately I have been enjoying my foods with extra heat!  I hear it revs up your metabolism too?! (more on that with a later post!) 

What I love about cooking these types of recipes is the versatility - you can literally use any veggies you like and mix it up the next time! I would love to hear what you favorite veggies are for this dish so don't forget to comment below and tag me on Instagram to share! I am looking for fresh ideas! 


And yes this is great for meal prep! It will keep in the fridge for a few days as the sauce marinates more into the veggies. Yum! I even added a sprinkle of hemp seeds on top or you can always go for fresh parm to really keep it Italian!


Ingredients:

Sauce:
2 cups walnuts (chopped)
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup parsley (fresh)
1/3 cup cilantro (fresh)
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves chopped
2 tbsp red curry paste
Salt & pepper to taste

16 oz pasta of choice (I used TJ Red Lentil Pasta)
3 cups fresh broccoli
1 red bell pepper chopped
8 oz fresh mushrooms (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400f
2. Chop all veggies into bite size pieces and lay on greased baking sheet to bake for about 20 minutes until tender. 
3. Put all sauce ingredients into blender and combine well.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions.
5. Once veggies and pasta are done add to large bowl.
6. Pour sauce over the veggies & pasta and mix well to combine.
7. Enjoy right away, at room temp or chilled.
8. Can be kept in fridge for a few days - great for meal prep. 


 

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