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Ah, pasta. Just a few bites and you’re transported to the clear blue waters of Sicily. Next to pizza, it’s Italy’s great and beloved culinary export to the rest of the world. And it’s hard to get bored of pasta, as it comes in so many shapes and forms: spaghetti, penne, fusilli, ravioli, gnocchi, and we could list dozens more. And then there are so many sauces and accompaniments to add, whether it be the classic tomato-based sauce, a creamy sauce, a pasta salad, a pasta bake — the options are quite limitless. Dried pasta tends to be completely vegan, and there are an abundance of vegan pasta recipes to try.
Best of all, vegan pasta dishes can be very quick and easy to cook yourself, and can be delicious and nutritious when made completely plant-based. Here are 23 mouth-watering takes on one of the best comfort foods humanity has yet conceived. If gluten is troublesome for you, there are lots of great gluten-free pastas you can substitute the wheat pasta in the recipes for.
Bean, orzo, and pesto salad
Starting off with a very “bae” recipe which comes from Plant Baes. It’s a brilliant option for all you meal-preppers out there; you can quickly have several batches prepared when you need something healthy and ready to grab on the go. It’s also packed with veggies — the tomatoes, broccoli, and asparagus make it stunningly colorful.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan mac and cheese
Oof, vegan mac and cheese. Does it get any more pleasing and comforting? There is one downside: the traditional mac and cheese is not the most nutritious. But here is a nutrient-packed but equally delicious take on it. We are much obliged to Molly Patrick (owner of Clean Food Dirty Girl) for this mac and cheese recipe. Potato, carrot, onion, turmeric and cashews mean this is packed with fiber and vitamins.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan baked feta pasta
Based on a feta pasta recipe which went viral on TikTok during the year that was 2021, Natali Eleftheriou (the owner of Natilicious Food) brings us a sumptuous vegan take on the dish. Natali opts for Violife vegan feta cheese, but feel free to use your personal favourite dairy-free feta substitute.
Find the recipe here.
Creamy high protein pepper pasta
Pasta and protein can go hand in hand! This one comes from one of the OG vegan YouTubers, Madeleine Olivia. The protein powers come the butter beans and silken tofu — be sure to opt for silken to achieve the irresistible creaminess of this dish. You can stack the protein levels even higher if you use a legume pasta made from red lentils, chickpeas or green/yellow peas. This also makes the dish fully gluten-free if that’s a consideration for you, hoorah!
Find the recipe here.
One-pot spaghetti with lentil ragu
Another protein-filled sensation thanks to our good friends, lentils. They are a brilliant pasta ingredient as they ooze creaminess in a pasta sauce. This brilliant dish (from Romy London) only requires one pot and 20 minutes of your time. The red wine, vegetable stock and olive oil make this outrageously tasty. If you love nothing more than twizzling spaghetti around your fork, then this dish is for you.
Find the recipe here.
One-pot chilli mac
As if more proof were needed that pasta and beans make amazing bezzies, here is a mega delicious dish with a little spice kick. Rainbow Plant Life came up with this one, not to mention the genius idea to have grated/crumbled tempeh in there. So tasty, and ensures this is another oen brimming with protein for the strength gang out there. The combination of sweet, savoury and spicy in this one is to die for.
Find the recipe here.
Brussels sprouts and mushroom lasagne
If there’s one vegetable that provokes wide-ranging reactions, from love to outright rage, it’s the humble Brussels sprout. So perhaps you’re raising your eyebrows a little at this one. Nisha from Rainbow Plant Life added sprouts to this mushroom lasagne to make it more unique, something we can all agree on. Put your pitchforks away, because once shredded and added to this oozing creamy dish, you’ll be a sprout convert for life.
Find the recipe here.
Tuscan one pot spaghetti
No, this dish doesn’t come from the Tuscan Raiders who live on Tattooine in Star Wars, but rather the beautiful Italian region of Tuscany. It’s known for its rolling hills, picturesque vineyards, medieval towns, and love of pasta. This plant-based take on a Tuscan spaghetti dish is every bit worthy of those postcard-perfect sights. The red pepper flakes, plenty of garlic, and cannellini beans make this so tasty, there’s a danger you’ll exclaim ‘mamma mia!’ involuntarily while tucking in.
Find the recipe here.
Butternut squash lasagne
An autumn favorite, our cravings turn towards hearty, soul-warming dinners to combat the chill of the evenings. Lasagne stands tall in fall season, offering a comforting embrace with each layer. And here’s the beauty: you don’t need a single animal product to recreate this beloved dish. Enter the realm of butternut squash vegan lasagne — a velvety, cheesy delight that’s as simple to make as it is satisfying. Natali Eleftheriou, we salute you again for this one.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan aubergine parmigiana
We’re keeping it cheesy with this next one. Not only is parmigiana fun to say in an Italian accent, but paired with aubergine, fresh basil, oregano, and garlic, and you’ll be transported to a type of food heaven that transcends words and language. Being vegan and gluten-free, this is a wonderful dish you can serve up for most guests. A tip of the hat to Antonio Alderuccio, the founder and chef of Plant Club in Stoke Newington, London, an amazing restaurant everyone should visit once if they can.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan fettuccine alfredo
Fettuciccine, spaghetti’s thicker cousin, is a type of pasta from Roman cuisine that is traditionally made with eggs. The legend of the alfredo dish creation goes that, in 1914, Alfredo Di Lelio assembled the dish with fresh fettuccine, cheese, and triple-cream butter for his partner, who had lost all appetite after the birth of their son. As usual, you can count on the vegan community to veganise almost everything, and Crow Moon Kitchen has made this vegan pasta recipe just as tasty with cashews, nutritional yeast, miso paste, and lemon juice.
Find the recipe here.
Peach pasta salad
Just take a look at this salad. If the image doesn’t make you run to the nearest shop to get all the ingredients, I don’t know what to tell you. Another peachy thing about this dish is it’s such a quick and nutritious vegan pasta recipe to assemble, only needing thirty minutes of your time. Fresh dill, cherry tomatoes, dijon mustard, avocado, and agave are just some of the flavors packed into this taste sensation vegan pasta. Big thanks to Janet Gronnow and her recipe book 15-Minute Vegan Meals for this stunner.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan cajun pasta with panko-crumb tempeh
We’re briefly leaving Italy to visit Louisiana in the U S of A! Here’s a vegan pasta dish that may sound a little out of left field, but is an absolute must-try. This creative creation comes from the mind of This Savory Vegan and packs a crazy amount of cajun flavor. The tempeh gives it a big hit of protein, so it’s a win win.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan avocado mac and cheese
“It’s the return of the mac,” as R&B singer Mark Morrisson once said, or something like that. But is pairing mac and cheese with avocado sacrilege? We don’t think so, as it all combines into one creamy dream of flavoring. A vegan pasta recipe from Fit Foodie Finds, it uses healthy ingredients only so is another guilt-free take on the mighty mac.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan mac and cheese burger
This next mac and cheese is also a…burger?! Oh yes, you read that correctly. It’s treat meal o’clock as we whip out the burger buns. That said, the recipe for these homemade vegan burger patties means they’re miles healthier than your typical fast food joint, especially meat ones. If you’ve never had a stacked burger that contains mac and cheese, now is the time to try out this flavor party. Thanks to Violife, the legends behind great vegan cheeses, for the original recipe.
Find the recipe here.
Butternut squash lasagne
Earlier we had butternut squash mac and cheese. Well, now it’s time to apply the squash treatment to lasagne. This one comes from Vegan Junk Food by Zacchary Bird. The 200-300 grams of butternut squash adds some veg to this delightful dish. Bird says that with this dish, the trend of hiding veggies is dead and the squash should be seen loud and proud!
Find the recipe here.
Creamy vegan pesto cannelloni
Bringing that classic Nonna-style Italian pasta vibe into the vegan world, this creamy vegan pesto cannelloni recipe puts a modern twist on an old favorite. A heavenly concoction from Viva’s Vegan Recipe Club, this is one you can dish up for any Italians in your life with confidence. A nice hit of protein from the vegan mince, and the béchamel sauce will have you in raptures. Buon appetito!
Find the recipe here.
Cauliflower, white beans and kale pasta
If you’ve been concerned this vegan pasta recipe list took a bit of a junk food turn of late, don’t you worry as the kale, cauliflower and white beans in this pasta dish will have you bursting with vitality. From the brain box of It’s All Good Vegan, the healthy aspects of this one are balanced out by the chilli, cumin and garlic powder making sure this pasta is as yummy and delectable as they come.
Find the recipe here.
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s another vegan cannelloni pasta recipe! And you too may find yourself with super strength after tucking away the heaps of spinach in this dish. Hey, it worked for Popeye, didn’t it? This vegan version of ricotta cannelloni will just ooze in your mouth with delight. The non-vegans in your life will be fooled if you don’t tell them beforehand. Another winning recipe from Viva!
Find the recipe here.
Vegan ragù
You may have had a disappointing lentil ragù in your time at an Italian restaurant chain. But don’t you worry, because this recipe is nothing like those. Instead, this is a vegan pasta dish that will really wow your friends and family, when it’s Italian night at your place. We mentioned the spinach powers above — well this time, watch as the lentils and aubergine supercharge you. This comes from Boxxfresh.
Find the recipe here.
Vegan lasagna soup
Don’t worry, soup fans, we didn’t forget you. Is this the world’s first vegan lasagna soup, courtesy of Elavegan? Just look at this cheesy, creamy goodness — we are not worthy. Comforting, satiating, and oh-so-tasty, give this one a go. If making lasagna sounds difficult to you, this is a great spin on the dish as you simply need to break up lasagna pieces and cook them in the soup.
Find the recipe here.
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