Fresh Vegan Pasta Recipes To Make At Home

Love pasta? If you’re looking for wonderful vegan pasta recipes, you’ve come to the right place. Enjoy delicious meals by first making vegan pasta and then adding inviting, flavorful sauces, toppings, and more.

Vegan Pasta Recipes: Steps To Make Fresh Vegetarian Pasta At Home

Usually, fresh pasta dough calls for eggs. But if you’ve bought packaged pasta at the store, you know: pasta doesn’t need to be made with eggs. In fact, you really only need flour, water, and salt to make pasta at home. And choosing a good flour –– like semolina — is key.

Here’s a basic recipe to get you started.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semolina flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup of warm water

Instructions:

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients.
2. Slowly add oil and water until the dough begins to bind together.
3. Transfer to the counter, and knead the dough until smooth (8-10 minutes).
4. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
5. Cut the dough into two portions. Take one portion and thinly roll it out or use a pasta machine to do so.
6. The dough should be rolled thin enough that the outline of your fingers can be visibly seen through it.
7. If you’re working without a machine, dust the rolled out portion and loosely roll it back up.
8. Cut the roll into strips, and then gently unroll the noodles. You can hang these or create little “nests” to keep them together loosely.
9. Work through the second half of the dough.
10. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil.
11. Drop in the noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes until “al dente.”
12. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce or topping.

Note: For a gluten-free option, substitute the all-purpose and semolina flours with red lentil flour.

Variations On Vegan Pasta Recipes: Penne Pasta, Butternut Squash Pasta, And More

Now you’ve had some practice you can change the shape of your pasta, or add various vegetables to your dough for added color and flavor.

Here are some bright ideas…

Penne Pasta

Once you’ve rolled out your pasta…

1. Use a pizza cutter (or something similar) to cut pasta into 1-inch square pieces.
2. Now, take a single square of pasta and lay it diagonally on the counter.
3. Take a clean pencil and lightly wrap one corner of the pasta around the center of the pencil. Wrap the pasta diagonally around the pencil.
4. Carefully slide your new pasta shape off the pencil and repeat with the rest of the pasta.

Spinach Pasta Noodles

Add a healthy green tint to your noodles by introducing some delicious iron-rich spinach to your pasta dough.

1. Cook fresh spinach until completely wilted.
2. Blend with about ⅓ – ½ cup of water so that you end up with about ¾ cup of liquid.
3. Substitute this watery green liquid in place of your ¾ cup water in your original recipe.
4. Continue making pasta as normal.

Butternut Squash Pasta Noodles

Not all noodles need to be made from flour. Butternut squash noodles are extremely popular. There’s just one ingredient: butternut squash. This is great for those seeking a vegan-gluten-free pasta.

Note: You WILL need a veggie spiralizer for this alternative.

1. Peel a raw, hard butternut squash and then cut it in half.
2. Using your spiralizer, turn that squash into noodles.
3. Place noodles on a baking sheet, drizzle two teaspoons of desired oil, and bake for 8-10 mins at 400 °F.
4. Add your favorite sauce or topping.

Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes: Garlic Pasta, Pesto Pasta Salad, And More

Now that you have a pasta base, it’s time to add some pizzazz. There are so many ways to do this. Here are a few scrumptious ideas to make your dinner complete.

Garlic Pasta

Garlic makes everything better. This is one of the simplest sauce ideas for an easy pasta meal – and yet, it’s never boring.

What You’ll Need:

• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup water (reserved pasta water is best)
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 12 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1-oz vegan parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

What To Do:

1. In a large skillet, heat garlic, salt, and half of the oil over low heat.
2. Stir constantly until garlic is slightly golden – about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Add pepper flakes, parsley, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of water.
4. Grab your pasta and add your new garlic mixture plus the rest of the oil and water.
5. Season to taste, and serve with vegan parmesan.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta dishes don’t have to be hot. In summer, they can make a great chilled dish, inspired by the climate of the Mediterranean.

Here’s your perfect Mediterranean pasta salad, made with the most delicious vegan pesto.

What You’ll Need:

• 1 pound of fresh vegan pasta, slightly chilled (penne is great for this)
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 3 handfuls arugula
• Pesto (see recipe below)

Easy Vegetarian / Vegan Pesto:

• ½ cup toasted pine nuts or cashews
• ¾ cup vegan parmesan, grated, or nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups basil leaves
• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt

What To Do:

1. Add nuts, cheese, and garlic into a food processor until finely ground.
2. Add basil, start the processor back up, and slowly add oil until pesto is smooth.
3. Season with salt.
4. Pour the pesto over the pasta and toss.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes, arugula, and any optional add-ins – fresh sliced avocado or chilled beans are good options.
6. Toss again, and season to taste.
7. If the pasta needs a bit more flavor, add a little lime juice to taste.

Note: You can store pesto a day ahead in an airtight container

Puttanesca Pasta Bake

A good pasta puttanesca doesn’t need anchovies. By using olives and capers, that addictively salty pasta topping can still be achieved. This recipe turns it into a pasta bake that will easily feed four.

What You’ll Need:

• 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 9 oz vegan pasta
• 28 oz diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ cup pitted black olives
• 2 tbsps capers
• 1 tbsp olive brine (from your olive jar)
• 1 tbsp caper brine (from your caper jar)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
• ½ cup vegan parmesan
• Optional: 2 cups shredded vegan mozzarella for an extra-cheesy bake

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 °F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine together broth, spaghetti, tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, and brines in the baking dish. Stir well.
3. Ensure that the pasta is submerged and ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Cover with foil and bake for around 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
5. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes, uncovered.
6. Sprinkle fresh parsley and vegan parmesan cheese.

Freshness and Flavor: Deliciously Simple Vegan Food

Easy vegan recipes are well within your grasp for your very next meal with this smorgasbord of pasta foods.
And if you ever feel like a quick cheat version because your work or family schedule has you limited – most packaged “hard” pasta at the store is actually vegan. Just be sure to double-check the ingredients.

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