Description
Calling all Aleppo pepper lovers! This fast and easy Creamy Aleppo Pepper Pasta is a delicious and healthy Middle Eastern twist on comforting pasta. Nothing better than pasta drenched in a creamy roasted red pepper sauce deliciously spiced with Aleppo pepper flavors and heat. Toss in a nourishing blend of vegetables for a healthy and hearty dish that is sure to please! Perfect for busy nights, this fantastic dish can be whipped up in about 20 minutes, making it this week’s awesome Whip It Up Wednesday recipe.
Whole Food Plant Based, vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Ingredients
Skillet Ingredients:
- ½ cup yellow onions, fine dice
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon GF flour (or flour of choice) *
- 1 cup vegetable broth *
- 1 ¼ cup water (or broth)
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened plain plant milk
- 1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar (optional) *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
- Pinch black pepper
Other Ingredients:
- 12 oz. GF pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 12 oz. package frozen California Blend Vegetables *
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (+/-) *
Other Optional Ingredients:
- Beans (of choice)
- Baby spinach (or kale)
Optional Toppings Ingredients:
- Sprinkle Aleppo pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot full of water. Add some sea salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil then add the pasta. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Note: You want to coordinate the completion of the pasta cooking time with the completion of the sauce. If unsure, then just wait to put the pasta into the boiling water once the sauce is done. Just turn the sauce down really low or remove from the stove. Boil the pasta until just el dente, do not overcook, drain, rinse with cold water to remove any excess starch and trapped water, shake well, set aside.
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients in a small bowl, mix and set aside.
- In the meantime, in a large ceramic/enamel lined skillet (or similar non-stick skillet), add the diced onions, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes until tender.
- Then lower the temperature to medium-low and add the minced garlic and sauté for one minute, then add the flour and Spice/Herb Mix, sauté for one minute, stirring constantly.
- Next add all the remaining Skillet Ingredients, stir well to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove the stove and allow to cool slightly, then transfer the skillet contents into a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth and emulsified. Then transfer back to the skillet.
- Place the frozen veggies in the microwave and heat until hot, then add the veggies and Aleppo pepper to the skillet, stir well, then cook until the veggies reach the desired level of tenderness, then add the cooked pasta (and baby spinach/beans if adding) to the skillet, simmer for a few minutes, then remove from the stove, cover and allow to set for 5 minutes. This allows the flavors to marry.
- Serve with some freshly chopped parsley and a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper.
Notes
*Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
*Aleppo Pepper: We used Penzeys Aleppo Pepper. It has some heat to it. Taste the Aleppo pepper as some brands are very mild and others pack some heat. Based upon your taste test will allow you to make an informed decision on how much to use. Aleppo Pepper tends to hit you on the backend of the palate. If unsure, start out using ½ teaspoon and work up from there. You can always add more, but you can’t take away. This recipe boasts the flavor of Aleppo pepper, there are no substitutions. Note: Do not add the Aleppo Pepper in with the other spices where it will get blended. Blending it over-intensifies the Aleppo Pepper flavor. Add it after the sauce has been blended.
*Richness: This is a low fat sauce, if you would like a richer flavor. Add in some soaked cashews to the blender maybe 1/8 cup to 1/3 cup depending on how rich you want the sauce. Keep in mind the cashews will thicken up the sauce. We have not tried the addition of cashews, but we feel that it would work really well. You may want to ramp up the spices and seasonings as desired.
*Flour: We used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.
*Ume Plum Vinegar: The ume plum vinegar is optional. It adds an additional pop of flavor. If you have it on hand, we definitely suggest using it.
*Vegetables: We used frozen vegetables. You can use all fresh, all frozen, or a combination. You may need to adjust cooking time for vegetables as size, fresh, and frozen aspects all play into how long the veggies will need to cook to reach the desired tenderness.
*Sauce Density: This sauce is a thin sauce. It is not super thick. If you are looking for a thicker sauce, scale back on the water/veggie broth equally.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Baby Spinach: Spinach is a natural flavor neutralizer. The longer it cooks the more it neutralizes flavor. We added it at the very end in order to preserve the boost of flavor from the spices.
*Serving: Makes 4 to 5 (Makes 3 cups of sauce)
*Storage: Refrigerate and use within 5 days