Easy Vegan Mushroom and Leek Pasta
Easy Vegan Mushroom and Leek Pasta is a vegan comfort food ready in 20 minutes that marries the earthy flavors of mushrooms with the sweet, onion-like taste of leeks in a luscious, and easy-to-make vegan sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce box pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large leeks cleaned and thinly sliced (only the white and light green parts)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounces mushrooms cremini
- 1 14-ounce can coconut cream or 1 ½ cups of cashew cream*
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ cup frozen peas
- fresh lemon juice
- vegan Parmesan cheese to serve
- parsley chopped, for garnish and a pop of color
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, but keep a cup of the pasta water for later.
- Sauté the Veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat while the pasta is cooking. Add the sliced leeks and a pinch of salt, cooking until they start to soften. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Mushrooms Time: Add the mushrooms and another pinch of salt to the pan. Stir occasionally until they've released their moisture and have shrunk in size.
- Sauce: Pour in the coconut cream and vegetable stock, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for a few minutes. This is where you add the fresh thyme, nutritional yeast, frozen peas, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Bringing It All Together: The sauce will be thin. Toss everything together, add some reserved pasta water to make the sauce silky, and coat the pasta evenly. The pasta will absorb the mixture and absorb the sauce as it cools.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the pasta hot, garnished with fresh parsley and an extra sprinkle of nutritional yeast or black pepper. Top with vegan Parmesan for added flavor.
Video
Notes
Use any pasta you would like. The one shown here is Rigantoni.
Do not cook the mushrooms until they are super soft. Leave them with a little bite.
Add broccolini, chopped petite broccoli, or any squash to add more veggies. Saute them when you add the mushrooms.
*To make cashew cream, mix 1 ½ cups of soaked cashews with ½ - ¾ cup of water in a high-speed blender. Blend until thick and smooth.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, prepare a cornstarch slurry. Dissolve two tablespoons of cornstarch in an equal amount of water. Once blended, incorporate this mixture into the sauce. Allow the sauce to gently simmer for a few minutes, enabling it to thicken slightly. It will thicken even more when cooled.
The nutritional profile is only an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 599kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 484mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!