🌱 Creamy Tomato Pasta with Spinach & Basil (Vegan Twist) 🍅
Inspired by your daughter’s mouthwatering TikTok creation, this creamy and flavorful pasta is a plant-based dream! Perfect for weeknight dinners or impressing guests.
🛒 Ingredients
- 🍝 Pasta: 12 oz rigatoni (or your fave pasta)
- 🫒 Olive oil: 2 tbsp
- 🧄 Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
- 🍅 Tomato paste: 3 tbsp
- 🥥 Coconut cream: 1 cup (or any plant-based cream)
- ✨ Nutritional yeast: 1/4 cup
- 🧀 Vegan mozzarella: 1/2 cup, shredded
- 🌶️ Red pepper flakes: 1 tsp (adjust to taste)
- 🧂 Salt: to taste
- ⚫ Black pepper: to taste
- 🌿 Fresh spinach: 2 cups
- 🌱 Fresh basil: 1/2 cup, roughly chopped
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add pasta and cook until al dente 🍝.
- Drain and set aside.
2️⃣ Prepare the Sauce:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 min until fragrant 🧄.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 mins to caramelize 🍅.
3️⃣ Make it Creamy:
- Add coconut cream and stir well 🥥.
- Mix in nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Let simmer until thick and creamy ✨.
4️⃣ Add the Cheese:
- Lower the heat and stir in vegan mozzarella 🧀.
- Mix until melted and fully incorporated.
5️⃣ Combine Pasta & Sauce:
- Add pasta to the skillet and toss to coat evenly 🍝.
6️⃣ Finish with Greens:
- Add spinach and basil 🌿.
- Gently toss until the spinach wilts and basil is fragrant.
7️⃣ Serve:
- Divide into bowls 🥣.
- Garnish with extra basil and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, if desired.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- 🔄 No Nutritional Yeast? Use vegan Parmesan instead!
- 🥜 Less Coconut Flavor? Try homemade cashew cream.
- 🧀 Choose Wisely: Use high-quality vegan mozzarella that melts well.
- 🌶️ Spicy Lover? Increase red pepper flakes for extra heat.
🔢 Nutritional Info (Per Serving)
- 🔥 Calories: 350 kcal
- 🍞 Carbs: 45 g
- 💪 Protein: 12 g
- 🧈 Fat: 15 g
- 🌾 Fiber: 6 g
- 🍬 Sugar: 5 g
- 🧂 Sodium: 450 mg
🌟 Enjoy your creamy, comforting bowl of goodness — vegan-style!