Pasta is one of my favorite food groups. It’s delicious (obviously), most varieties are naturally vegan, and it’s infinitely versatile. You can throw together a quick 15-minute marinara pasta on a Monday evening, pack a refreshing pasta salad for a summer picnic, or whip up a gourmet pasta dinner for date night. Below I’ve rounded up over 30 amazing vegan pasta recipes, including some of my own as well as some fantastic pasta recipes around the plant-based internet, as well as tips for the right way to cook noodles. And if you’re pressed for time, be sure to check out the bonus 15-minute pasta recipe at the end of this post! Table of Contents1. How to cook dried pasta properly2. Red Sauces + Meaty Pastas3. Creamy Pastas4. Vegetable-Forward Pastas5. Herb-Based Pastas6. Pasta Salads
How to cook dried pasta properly
Cooking dried pasta is easy, but it’s not as simple as just dumping it in pot and waiting 10 minutes. For the best results, keep these tips in mind. Wait for a rolling boil. If you drop the pasta in before the water gets to a rolling boil, you may find yourself with mushy noodles that stick together. Don’t go easy on the salt. Adding salt to the water is an important step to make sure the pasta itself has flavor. For 4 quarts of water, I recommend 2 tablespoons of Diamond Kosher Salt (my favorite brand). If using sea salt, use half the amount. Keep in mind that most of the salt you add remains in the water, so don’t worry about adding too much. Check the pasta early. I like to taste the pasta a minute or two before the stated cook time on the package has elapsed. If your noodles will be cooked again after boiling (e.g., in a lasagna or stir-fried with the other ingredients), you’ll want to take them out of the water just before they turn al dente. Save some pasta water for later. For most recipes, it’s a good idea to save a cup of pasta water before you drain it. Pasta water is high in starch and is a great way to thicken pasta sauces and help them better stick to the noodles.
Red Sauces + Meaty Pastas
PS: for a bonus meaty red sauce pasta recipe that takes just 15 minutes, scroll to the bottom of this post!
Creamy Pastas
Vegetable-Forward Pastas
Herb-Based Pastas
Pasta Salads
Bonus Recipe: Sausage and Greens Pasta
As mentioned above, here’s a bonus weeknight recipe I turn to when I don’t have a lot of time or I’m feeling lazy.
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
