Easy Vegan White Sauce Pasta
This easy and healthy vegan white sauce pasta with vegetables is sure to become your go-to weeknight dinner! Highly customizable, low in calories and ready in 30 minutes, this colorful, creamy and scrumptious plant-based pasta dish is inexpensive, meal prep-friendly and kids simply love it.
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz macaroni pasta dry (250 g)
- 1.5 cups broccoli florets 240 g
- 1 red bell pepper de-stemmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 orange bell pepper de-stemmed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup corn kernels 165 g
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas 165g, drained
- 2 cups fresh spinach 60 g
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 yellow onion diced
For the white sauce
- 2 cups soy milk unsweetened (480 ml)
- 4 tsp cornstarch
- 1 cup vegetable broth 240 ml
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dry oregano
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1-2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
To garnish
- Red pepper flakes
- Nutritional yeast
- Vegan parmesan
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, then drain (saving ½ cup of the cooking water) and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the dairy-free white sauce by putting the soy milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix the cornstarch with vegetable broth in a small bowl, then add it to the warm milk in the pan with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until it starts to thicken and turn into a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Let’s move over to the veggies! Add the diced onion to a large non-stick skillet and sauté for a minute over medium heat. Add a spritz of water or vegetable broth and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until translucent.
- Now, add the chickpeas and the rest of the vegetables except for the spinach and keep cooking for another 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Add the pasta and spinach to the rest of the veggies, stir to combine, then pour the sauce over everything and mix thoroughly.
- Add two or three tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, as the pasta will absorb moisture.
- Finally, divide into serving bowls, garnish with red pepper flakes and nutritional yeast and serve warm.
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2-3 days. Keep in mind that it will thicken over time, so make sure to add a splash of dairy-free milk when heating the pasta up again.
Notes
- For a quick & dirty version, cook your veggies in the same large pot together with the pasta for a few minutes, then drain everything and add the white sauce.
- Feel free to choose any pasta you like from whole grain to gluten-free or legume-based.
- You can pick any plant-based milk when creating the vegan white sauce. Or try this high-protein bean-based cheese sauce!
- Find ideas for what else to add to this vegan pasta recipe in the article! You can also choose mixed frozen veggies for some more convenience.
Nutrition
Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 210mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 11g