This is that something warm and cozy.

My last name ends in a vowel, and thus…I love pasta. And I love how easy it is to make a truly excellent bowl of pasta at home.

You really just need good ingredients, time, and the dedication to do it right. You don’t need any special equipment or techniques to still make something that tastes like it was made with them.

That was the exact vibe I got from this vegetarian “meat” sauce my dad made for me last year. We had lasagna for Thanksgiving or Christmas last year, and he made me my own personal lasagna with this sauce.

Of course, my “personal” lasagna was huge and fed me for a good week, but the leftover sauce was my favorite part.

It was so rich, perfectly chewy, and weirdly very meaty? Even though it was made with only vegetables? It was incredible.

My dad is a great cook, so I really shouldn’t have been surprised. But he really hit it out of the park with this one.

My mind was blown, so I asked him to write down the recipe, and I’m finally publishing the recipe for you all so that your minds are blown too.

The idea of a “Sunday Sauce” comes from the fact that it’s cooked low and slow on the stove over a few hours. So just know that going in; you won’t be eating this sauce in 20 minutes. Instead, it’s a great weekend (Sunday) meal! And it freezes beautifully, so make it once and have it for meals whenever.

To make the recipe, you’ll start where all cozy stuff starts: a soffritto––a mixture of carrot, onion, and celery.

Well…sorta.

I don’t do celery. Never have, never will. The smell, flavor, texture, and pure essence of the thing just totally freaks me out, so I’ll never ever buy it (and therefore never cook with it). So my soffritto is just onion and carrot.

That said, if you don’t think celery is evil, feel free to add some and cut down on the other two. I won’t judge (too much).

The “meatiness” in this sauce comes from mushrooms…but in a few ways! We’ll rehydrate some dried mushrooms, chop them up nice and fine, and add them (along with some of their soaking liquid!) to the sauce. It gives a wonderful umami kick to the final sauce that you just can’t get from fresh ‘shrooms. They also lend a delightful chewiness that isn’t unlike the chew you experience when eating a traditional bolognese.

That said, you’ll also need some fresh mushrooms, as they make up the bulk of the sauce. Baby bella and/or white buttons work great (I used both!).

Your usual cast of characters are the final ingredients needed to make this an actual sauce: whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (spring for the San Marzanos!), tomato sauce/passata, white wine, garlic, and time.

Cooking this sauce over the course of an hour or two really helps the flavors develop and the texture to become more meaty. You’ll also immersion blend the sauce a bit to make it a bit more bolognese-y versus chunks of vegetables in tomato sauce-y.

I love recipes like this because it’s very much a low-effort, high-reward sort of recipe. A few key ingredients + time really do result in a sauce that’s rich, has a nice bite, and is perfect with your pasta of choice and a big ol’ slice of crusty bread and/or focaccia.

Grab yourself a glass of something fun and dive on in.

Dad’s Vegetarian Sunday Sauce (Mushroom Bolognese)

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Look no further! This is an excellently meaty vegetarian/vegan pasta sauce! It cooks low and slow for a few hours, so it’s a great weekend recipe.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 120 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: ~5-6 cups
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Saute
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried mixed mushrooms (I used porcini and oyster), retain 1 cup of the soaking liquid
• 16–18 ounces baby bella and/or white button mushrooms, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sweet onion, diced
• 3/4 cup carrot (I used baby!), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (and a glass for you, if ya fancy)
• 28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
• 14 ounces (or more, if you want it extra saucy!) tomato sauce/passata
• To serve: 1 pound pasta (cooked), focaccia, vegan parmesan, fresh parsley, and another glass of wine

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Instructions

1. Quickly rinse your dried mushrooms, then place in a heat-safe bowl and pour 1 and 1/2 cups of boiling water on top. The mushrooms should be completely covered by the water. Let them rehydrate in the hot water for 10 – 15 minutes, then carefully remove and mince. Save 1 cup of soaking liquid. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.
2. In a dry pot over medium heat, cook the fresh mushrooms until the water evaporates and light searing starts. Carefully remove the mushrooms and set aside. 
3. Add olive oil and sauté the carrot, onion, and garlic with a pinch of kosher salt until soft, but not browning. 
4. Add the cooked, fresh mushroom to the pot and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few cranks of black pepper. Mix to combine.
5. Add the wine, mix, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any browned bits.
6. Add the minced rehydrated mushrooms and 1 cup of their soaking liquid. 
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the San Marzanos and their liquid, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. 
8. Cook uncovered until the tomatoes are broken down and the sauce is more sauce-y, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Cover and continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 1-2 hours. 
10. Add tomato sauce and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
11. Use an immersion blender to make the sauce as chunky / smooth as desired. 
12. Serve with your favorite cooked pasta and other toppings/sides like vegan parmesan and fresh parsley.

Notes

This recipe freezes well! When cooled to room temperature, transfer sauce into air-tight containers and place in the freezer. Then place it in the fridge overnight to thaw and heat before serving. Yum!

The post Dad’s Vegetarian Sunday Sauce (Mushroom Bolognese) appeared first on Fooduzzi.

And let me tell you why:

1. It is SO quick. It can be as quick as it takes to cook your pasta.
2. It requires minimal ingredients.
3. It can be packed with plant-based protein, which keeps ya full for longer.
4. It’s really so good and comforting. Who doesn’t love a creamy pasta dish?!

My love affair is going strong with this one, my friend. Excited for you to try it!

I use hummus in… everything. It’s a great, creamy, protein-packed, and convenient base to a lot of different things like:

• Toast
• Slaw
• Flatbreads
• Dressing
• Wraps

And… pasta sauce. I’ve used hummus as a pasta sauce a few times here on the blog, but this combination is my fave. Roasted red pepper hummus, some red pepper flakes, a bit of lemon zest if you’re feelin’ it, and your favorite assortment of veggies. Easy, delicious, and just extremely quick for when you’re in a pinch at dinnertime.

Now, when I make pasta for myself, I’m eating some sort of bean pasta (aka one made with chickpeas or lentils) 95% of the time.

While no bean pasta can hold a candle to traditional, bronze dye cut wheat pasta, I love using it because of the extra protein it can bring to the final dish. I used Banza’s Cavatappi in this recipe, but I also love the bean pasta from Aldi and Trader Joe’s. Lots of stores have options these days!

With the addition of hummus as our sauce, we’re really maximizing the amount of plant-based protein in this recipe!

You can choose your favorite vegetables to add to this dish –– I love the best sautéed mushrooms (of course), but zucchini is another fave of mine.

To speed this recipe up even more, you can use a frozen vegetable like broccoli, peas, or corn! Or a combination. The world is your (vegan) oyster. I always recommend throwing a little garlic in there too because what is pasta if not a vehicle for copious amounts of garlic?

Quick, simple, tasty, and filling –– what more could you want out of a weeknight-friendly meal?!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

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A creamy, easy, and weeknight-friendly pasta dish packed with plant-based protein! I truly make this every single week.

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Sauté
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• sautéed mushrooms
• 8 ounces pasta (I use chickpea pasta)
• 10 ounces roasted red pepper hummus*
• up to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes**
• zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
• ~1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• salt + pepper
• Vegan Parmesan and fresh parsley, for topping

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Instructions

1. Start cooking your sautéed mushrooms in a large enough skillet to fit your pasta into once it is cooked. You’ll build the sauce and dish in this skillet!
2. A few minutes after starting your mushrooms, start cooking your pasta in a separate pot according to package instructions. Be sure to reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin out the sauce.
3. When the mushrooms are cooked to your liking, add the hummus, red pepper flakes, and optional lemon zest to the skillet over low heat.
4. Slowly add your reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce, then toss your cooked pasta into the sauce. 
5. Carefully taste, and season with salt or pepper if needed –– I really like an extra crank of black pepper with creamy pasta sauces like this!
6. Top with vegan parmesan and parsley and enjoy!

Notes

* It should go without saying, but be sure to use a hummus you like the flavor of. For example, I don’t love the flavor of Sabra, so I don’t use it here. I actually really enjoy Aldi’s Park Street Deli Roasted Red Pepper Hummus in this dish!

** This amount makes this dish spicy. If you’re sensitive to heat or nervous about the amount, start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase if desired.

The post Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Yep, it’s pasta time yet again!

Like I said just a few weeks ago, I just really love pasta as a cozy fall food.

We’re going a little wild today and making our own pasta. It’s one of those culinary things that makes you feel like a full-blown chef.

It’s something you can buy pretty much anywhere, but making it from scratch just seems so… fancy. Such a fun way to turn a regular ol’ pasta dish into one that’s really something to talk about.

That’s why I was so excited Bob’s Red Mill launched their 00 Flour this year! 00 Flour is milled extra fine, meaning any dough made with the stuff is extra elastic and tender. It’s perfect for homemade pizza or pasta!

Pasta making has been a bit of a love language in my family over these past few years (see here!), so the whole process of whisking, kneading, rolling, filling, cutting, boiling, and devouring makes me all warm and cozy on the inside.

And I’m excited to share that feeling (and this recipe for these fab vegan ravioli) with you today!

Another reason I love homemade pasta? It requires minimal ingredients.

Because we’re making a vegan fresh pasta today, we’ll mix together:

• Bob’s Red Mill 00 Flour
• Water
• Olive Oil
• Salt

If you’ve never made pasta before, there’s a very specific “well method” that pasta makers use. You can see the video below for a nice little demo, but you’ll make a well in your flour, add the other ingredients into the cavity, and slowly incorporate the flour into your liquid.

Then you’ll mix by hand and knead well until a smooth, taut ball forms. If you lightly poke it, the indent will spring back almost immediately. This means that there’s a lot of gluten development and it is TENSE. It needs to relax a bit before you’re able to roll it out, so you can cover it in plastic wrap and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

When it comes time for rolling, make sure you have a nice and large working area. Grab your rolling pin and roll it as thin as you can, working on half of the dough at a time.

Because we’re using our arms and not a machine, your dough won’t be as thin as it would be on a machine. Just roll, roll, roll and get it as thin as you can and acknowledge that you are not a machine. It’s okay. Our pasta will just be a wee bit thicker. No big deal.

Then fill it with some vegan ricotta, encase the filling in more dough, cut out your ravioli, and seal it with a cute little fork crimp.

I like to cook my homemade pasta from frozen, and I tossed these ravioli in a spicy tomato sauce. But use your fave, or try:

• Vegan Vodka Sauce
• Lemon Garlic Sauce
• Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
• Vegan “Meat” Sauce

Regardless of how you dress them, these ravioli are fab! Enjoy!

Watch How To Make Vegan Ricotta Ravioli:

Vegan Ricotta Ravioli (No Machine!)

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Homemade egg-free and vegan ricotta ravioli is on the menu! This is such a fun, special recipe to share with friends, loved ones, or yourself!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2-3 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Boil
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

DOUGH:

• 2 cups (256 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 00 Flour
• 1/2 cup water (plus more for sealing)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch salt

FILLING:

• Vegan Cashew Ricotta

FOR SERVING:

• your favorite pasta sauce
• Vegan Parmesan, for topping

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Instructions

1. Add your flour to a large bowl. Make a well and add your water, olive oil, and salt.
2. Using a fork, slowly incorporate the flour into your liquid (see the video in the post for a visual!).
3. When it starts to get craggy, use your hands to incorporate all of the flour, kneading well. This process will take anywhere from 5-8 minutes. Knead until a smooth dough ball forms that springs back as soon as you lightly poke it.* Cover well in plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes.
4. This is a great time to make your vegan ricotta! 
5. When your dough has rested, divide it into two and re-cover one of the pieces — you’ll work on one at a time.
6. Roll your non-covered dough half into a long rectangle. Roll it as thin as you can. It won’t be as thin as a machine can make it, but that’s okay. You got this! Mine ended up being the length of my rolling pin. 
7. Divide this rolled dough in two length-wise (again, use the photos in the post as a reference). 
8. Using a 1 teaspoon measure, dollop little mounds of your ricotta on top of one of the halves, leaving an inch or two between each dollop. 
9. Using a water-dampened finger, wet a circle around each of your mounds, and then lay your other rolled half of dough over the mounds. 
10. Carefully press the air out of your ravioli and press the dough together to seal all around your filling.
11. Using a circle cookie/biscuit cutter (or your cutter of choice) that’s bigger than your ricotta mound to allow for proper sealing, punch out your ravioli, and then crimp the edges using a fork. 
12. Place the ravioli on a flour-dusted cookie sheet, and place in the freezer. I like to cook mine from frozen, but even if you’re cooking them soon, put them in the freezer until it’s boiling time!
13. Repeat the rolling, filling, cutting, crimping, freezing process with your other half of the dough.**
14. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add your ravioli and cook 4-5 minutes (make sure your water comes back up to a boil after you throw in your cold ravioli), or until the dough is cooked through. Serve with your favorite sauce, fresh basil, and vegan parm!

Notes

*If your dough is extra dry, you can add a small sprinkling of water. Just dip your fingers in some water and flick it onto your dough. You really don’t want to over-hydrate your dough, or it’ll be a mess!

**Wondering what to do with your scraps? I combined them, let it rest again, and then rolled it out and cut some fettuccine noodles! You can also just cut them in random shapes and throw them in a soup. I didn’t make any more ravioli because the dough was a little drier and harder to get thin. Feel free to add a small sprinkle of water to help you roll the scraps out, but avoid adding too much!

The post Vegan Ricotta Ravioli (No Machine!) appeared first on Fooduzzi.

My answer: no. It is the quintessential cozy food for me, and I will praise its perfection all year long.

But… there’s something about pasta just hitting different in the fall and winter months. It is extra cozy, extra soothing, extra satisfying.

That’s why, when September started, I woke up craving pasta. And not just any pasta: vodka sauce.

Now, it might have been because I watched this video and read this article and kind of went down the vodka sauce rabbit hole. But still. A craving’s a craving, and it had to be dealt with.

And dealt with it was!

When I read up on vodka sauce, I learned a few things:

1. It’s actually a very simple recipe –– just some aromatics, tomatoes, cream, and (of course) vodka.
2. The origin is debated –– it originated either from an Italian chef or an Italian-American in New York.
3. It got super popular in the 80s and 90s (which must be why I have such a soft spot for it!).
4. It’s really easy to turn it vegan.

So that’s exactly what I did!

Most of the base recipe (mine is based off of this one) is actually vegan. You’ll just sweat down an entire onion in a little olive oil. Then add garlic and red pepper flakes, and once they’re cooked slightly, you’ll want to add your tomato paste.

It’s a lot of tomato paste –– 6 whole ounces! –– but it adds such a lovely and rich depth of flavor to our final sauce. Especially if you cook it a bit before the pan gets all liquidy. By cooking out the tomato paste, you’re concentrating the punchy tomato-ness even more by caramelizing the sugars.

Then you’ll add your whole, peeled canned tomatoes, a sprig of basil, some water, and our “cream” ingredients.

Now, cauliflower and cashews may not seem like creamy ingredients, but once cooked and blended? It helps give our final sauce a velvety, rich texture and flavor. It’s a hack I borrowed from my favorite vegan mac & cheese recipe!

Once you give the sauce a few minutes to cook on the stove, you’ll carefully transfer it to a blender with a knob of vegan butter, and blend until creamy.

Final step is putting the sauce back in your pan, adding the vodka, allowing it to cook for a minute or two, and then adding the pasta. And you’re done!

Surprisingly simple, ridiculously satisfying, and perfectly comforting for this time of year. Enjoy!

Vegan Vodka Sauce

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A divinely creamy vegan vodka sauce! This recipe is easy, comforting, and super satisfying and made creamy from two secret ingredients!

• Author: Alexa [fooduzzi.com]
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Boil
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

• 6 medium-large cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• pinch salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon (or more) red pepper flakes
• pepper
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 14.5-ounce whole, peeled canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 sprig basil (plus more for topping)
• 1 pound short pasta
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 2 cups pasta water*
• vegan parmesan, for topping

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Instructions

1. Place your cauliflower florets and cashews in a food processor and blitz until it resembles small pebbles. It should yield ~1 cup (a little more is okay). Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat your olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add your onion and a pinch or two of salt, and cook until the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add a splash of water if things are browning.
4. Add your garlic, red pepper flakes, and a few cranks of black pepper, and cook for another minute.
5. Add your tomato paste with a splash of water, and cook for another minute. You’re caramelizing the sugars and developing more flavors in this step. Look at you!
6. Add your canned tomatoes, water, and your cauliflower/cashew mixture and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt.
7. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. 
8. Meanwhile, cook your pasta 1 minute less than package instructions (we’ll finish it in the sauce). Reserve two cups pasta water. 
9. Remove and discard your basil, and then carefully transfer your sauce mixture to a high-powered blender with a tablespoon of vegan butter, and blend until rich and creamy.
10. Transfer your sauce back to your pan (wipe it out first to ensure a super smooth sauce!), and return to a simmer over medium heat. 
11. Stir in your vodka and cook for 1 minute, then add your cooked pasta. 
12. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the pasta is cooked to your liking. You can add your pasta water here to thin out the sauce if needed.
13. Carefully taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional fresh basil and / or vegan parmesan!

Notes

* You probably won’t add all of this, but it’s better to have more than run out!

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats

The post Vegan Vodka Sauce appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Calling all garlic lovers!

This zippy, vibrant, bitey pesto is for y-o-u!

Oh, pesto. Honestly, my favorite way to enjoy pasta. If I had to choose, pesto would be my choice every single time.

The freshness! The herbiness! The color! The garlic! It’s all just my favorite thing.

That’s why I was beyond excited to see garlic scapes at a grocery store near me. I saw them and knew that pesto was in my immediate future.

If you’re unfamiliar with garlic scapes, don’t feel bad. This was the first time I’ve ever bought them tbh! They are the green sprouty parts of a bulb of garlic. They’re typically in-season in late spring and early summer, so I was surprised and delighted to find them at the end of

And… they’re delicious! They have a more mild raw garlic flavor, but they still deliver quite a punchy flavor that’s absolutely perfect for use in pesto.

Plus… they just look really cool (see above).

At its core, a pesto (more or less) always needs:

• Garlic
• Parmesan
• Nuts
• Olive oil
• Basil

Of course, me being me, we’re getting a lil creative with our definitions of each:

Garlic

So instead of regular ol’ garlic cloves, we’ll use our garlic scapes. Just chop off the “woody” ends and pop them into your food processor. Pulse them until they’re broken up into little chunks.

Parmesan

To keep this recipe vegan, we’re using my homemade vegan parmesan here! You may have made it before, but it’s just a mixture of Bob’s Red Mill’s Almond Flour, nutritional yeast, and salt. It takes two seconds to mix together, but it’s truly a game-changer when you want a quick, nutty dusting of a parmesan-esque topping on your favorite pastas, on vegetables, and now… in sauces!

Nuts

To be completely honest, my favorite nut for a pesto is walnuts. Walnuts may be my very favorite nut to begin with, but I think they add a really nice bitter flavor to the otherwise bright and luscious sauce.

That said, I had some raw pistachios leftover in my fridge from this recipe, and you better believe I was using them here to keep with the green theme!

Olive Oil

At the risk of sounding a wee bit pretentious, use a good extra virgin olive oil here, okay?

Since there are so few ingredients here, since you’re not cooking it, and since you’re using a good bit of it, it just… really makes a difference. I like a peppery olive oil, but feel free to use your fave.

Basil

Nothing to change here because basil is perfect in pesto. :)

Oh goodness is this pesto good. It’s very garlic-forward, but it’s also balanced thanks to a good helping of fatty ingredients like olive oil, nuts, and our homemade vegan parm.

Give it a go, and let me know what you think! And are you as big of a pesto fan as I am? Lemme know in the comments.

The post Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Oh, how I love pasta and creamy vegan cheese sauce and roasty toasty caramelized broccoli.

Especially this time of year!

I hate hate hate turning on my oven during the summer. I am very much someone who enjoys air conditioning, and anything that makes it harder to enjoy said air conditioning is a no-go from me.

In fact, I frequently tell people that, if I needed to get rid of all of the technology in my life and keep just one, air conditioning would be my one.

It’s true. Ya girl hates to be hot. Hence being anti-oven in the summer time.

But! The weather here in Pittsburgh magically turned crisp (especially at night) on September 1, and I’ve been very pro-oven recently. We’ve been roasting vegetables like mad, and I knew I needed to create a recipe including some.

Enter: This recipe!

We’re using the oven! We’re boiling pasta! We’re making a vegan cheese sauce from scratch in the Instant Pot! It sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t. Everything can be going at the same time so it’s ready at the same time.

It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing, my friend. And you’re gonna love it.

The vegan cheese sauce is something incredibly special. It’s adapted from my favorite vegan cheese sauce in America’s Test Kitchen’s Vegan for Everybody cookbook.

This cookbook is my absolute fave (see my gushing review here). Every recipe is a complete and total slam-dunk, and their cheese sauce is other-worldly.

It takes a while to cook on the stove and then blend in a blender, and I was curious if I could throw everything in the Instant Pot instead and still have a really killer sauce.

Turns out: you can! And it’s so easy. Just add everything to your Instant Pot, let it cook for 8 minutes, and then blend with an immersion blender until creamy. Add a touch of vinegar for that cheesy tang and lots of black pepper, and you are ready to rumble.

As for the pasta, feel free to use your favorite short cut pasta. I love fusilli and gemelli, but elbows would work too. Heck, even a bean-pasta would work great here for some extra protein.

I love this recipe because it’s like a grown-up version of mac and cheese with broccoli.

We’re growing it up it by:

• Roasting the broccoli instead of steaming it
• Making a simple vegan cheese sauce in the Instant Pot from scratch

But! It’s simple enough to be a weeknight meal.

Man, are we winning this dinner thing or what? High fives all around.

The post Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Instant Pot Vegan Cheese Sauce appeared first on Fooduzzi.

I love twirling it, spearing it, and scooping it.

I love it with creamy sauces, tossed in herby sauces, loaded with tomato sauce, and delicately mixed with oily sauces.

Pasta is one of those ingredients that I almost have too much of at all times – it’s always there for me at the end of a long day. A comforting carb friend, if you will.

And the fact I can get it from the pantry to the kitchen table (or, in all quarantine seriousness, to the couch) in under 30 minutes makes me love it that much more.

While I think we can all agree that pasta is incredible, what’s not incredible is eating the same red sauce from a jar 4x a week.

These are some of the easiest pasta recipes I have here on the blog so you could, if you wanted, eat pasta every day of the week…for two weeks.

Not saying that you should. But if you wanted to, you’ll be ready.

Let’s roll:

1. Vegan Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients needed: cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, black pepper

This is one of the many recipes on my blog that I’m especially proud of. Traditional Cacio e Pepe is very simple – cheese, butter, pepper, noodles – so it took a little time to figure out a way to make this creamy adult-style mac & cheese vegan.

But we’ve done it, folks. This recipe is creamy, dreamy, and tastes like you’re sitting in a Roman piazza on a warm summer day.

2. Magical Color-Changing Pasta

Ingredients needed: purple cabbage, shallot, olive oil, garlic, lemon

You’ve got some extra time on your hands these days, right? And maybe a kid or two at home needing entertainment and sustenance?

Enter: Magical Color-Changing Pasta.

It’s a really simple recipe, and it literally changes color BEFORE YOUR EYES. It’s honestly just so much fun for anyone at any age, but I can imagine it would be a total hit with some kiddos!

3. Lemon Garlic Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients needed: lemon, garlic, mushrooms, olive oil, shallot, basil, parsley

Can’t get much more classic than this flavor combo right here! Lemon and garlic take the lowly mushroom to new heights.

This dish is tangy, earthy, bitey, and honestly one of my favorites on this list because it’s just so. darn. simple.

P.S. It’s not complete without a big sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan. Trust me.

4. No-Cook Tomato Garlic Pasta Sauce

Ingredients needed: olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, basil

What about a pasta sauce that you don’t even cook? If you need a simpler recipe than this…I…just don’t know what to tell you tbh.

You literally don’t cook a thing in this recipe (besides the noodles, obv. And I mean, I guess you don’t need to cook them, but that would be a bit ridiculous, and I’d definitely judge you a lil bit), and it’s so gosh-darn good.

The sauce is thick and lush and rich and just one of my favorite recipes when it’s hot outside and I don’t want to cook dinner.

5. Spring Brussels Sprout Pasta

Ingredients needed: brussels sprouts, olive oil, garlic, lemon

It’s springtime, my friends! And I pretty much start craving anything and everything green as soon as the first day of spring rolls around.

One of my favorite in season “greens” this time of year is (are?) brussels sprouts.

If you cook them until caramelized with a bit of lemon juice and garlic, springtime gets a little happier. A flower starts to bloom. A tree’s buds open up.

You have that power, my friend.

6. Antipasto Couscous Salad

Ingredients needed: kalamata olives, green olives, artichoke hearts, baby kale, sun-dried tomatoes, white beans, red wine vinegar, olive oil

One of my favorite pastas even though I never think to buy it is couscous. It cooks in about .5 seconds, and it’s great with pretty much anything you’d serve with things like rice or quinoa.

This is another one of my favorite recipes on the blog. I’ve made it a few times, and I just devour it because it’s loaded with flavor – olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, beans. I love.

7. Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients needed: cauliflower, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon, plant milk, olive oil

So, while I’m not vegan 100% of the time (I eat cheese when I’m out and about every once in a while), I love vegan substitutes of my favorite dairy-filled meals.

That’s why I was so jazzed about this Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce. It’s pretty simple to throw together, and it hugs and coats each noodle perfectly.

When I served it to Mark the first time, he said, “Had you not told me this was vegan, I would have just thought you made normal alfredo for dinner.”

I think about it often. It’s still, to this day, one of my greatest accomplishments in life.

8. Vegan Fall Pasta Salad

Ingredients needed: pecans, brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, shallot, parsley, dijon, garlic, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup

Okay. Even though this is technically a “fall” recipe (it’s so delicious as part of a Thanksgiving meal!), I think you could get away with making it any time of the year.

We’ve already established brussels sprouts are in-season, and dried cranberries and pecans don’t ever really go out-of-style.

I will say that I love this recipe cold, at room temp, or hot, so it’s great to just keep in the fridge for whenever you need a carb fix.

9. Easy Ginger Garlic Noodles

Ingredients needed: ginger, garlic, broccoli, green onion, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup

Although my mind instantly goes to Italian whenever I think of pasta (I blame it on my heritage), noodles are a big part of other cultures’ cuisines too!

This recipe so simple, really tasty, and 100% customizable.

I highly recommend serving it with a big serving of Easy Crispy Marinated Tofu.

10. Thai Zucchini Noodle Bowls

Ingredients needed: zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sriracha, maple syrup

Noodles + Zoodles = an adventure in Texture Land.

This recipe is served with my peanut sauce, aka. the sauce that we pretty much always have in our fridge because it’s good on everything, and a bunch of vegetables.

It’s health covered in peanut butter and I’m here for it.

11. Vegan One Pot Pumpkin Pasta

Ingredients needed: olive oil, garlic, onion, canned pumpkin, canned coconut milk, veggie stock, sage

I feel like all rules went out the window when we all went into quarantine. Right? Right.

Let’s have pumpkin in April. Why not? I won’t tell anyone.

12. Creamy Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients needed: hummus, frozen spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, Italian seasoning

A widely-loved dip turned pasta sauce. I’m so into it.

The “creamy” part of this recipes comes from hummus, and if you’ve been around the blog for any period of time, you probably know I use hummus in every way, shape, and form. So it was only a matter of time before I threw it on some pasta.

13. Creamy Lemon Hummus Pasta with Vegetables

Ingredients needed: hummus, lemon, garlic, broccoli, jarred red bell pepper, mushrooms, parsley

AND I DID IT AGAIN. This time, with lemon and veggies! I can’t be stopped!

14. Pasta with Vegan Meat Sauce

Ingredients needed: green lentils, pecans, your favorite red sauce, olive oil

Lol. The first pasta recipe I ever posted on Fooduzzi. How it took me over a year from starting my blog to post a pasta recipe, I’ll never know.

But alas, this is a good one. It’s one of those protein-packed recipes thanks to lentils and pecans, and it just has a really meaty texture that I actually kinda love.

Who knew. A vegan meat sauce. Weirder things have happened.

And that’s a wrap! What pasta recipes are you making these days? I wanna know the deets.

I could really go for a pesto right now. Maybe with some lemon and extra garlic? Yum.

And what do you think? Pasta = the perfect food?

The post 14 Easy Recipes to Jazz Up Dried Pasta appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Are you ready for Thanksgiving Pasta Week Recipe #2?!

I sure hope so, because Mark and I polished off this recipe between the two of us, and we immediately decided we needed to make it again. 

It’s gonna be the star student of your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Now, pasta salad for Thanksgiving? Sounds weird, yeah?

I get it. But allow me to convince you why it’s the best idea ever:

• It’s make-ahead; you can have it ready while your kitchen is buzzin’ on Thanksgiving
• It can be served cold; clearing up precious oven and stove space for other goodies
• It’s non-traditional; meaning it’ll be the talk of the dinner table
• It’s so dang flavorful and full of fall fun; you’re going to go in for seconds (and probably thirds)

This pasta is a win-win for everyone involved, and I cannot wait for you to try it!

So. What’s in a Vegan Fall Pasta Salad?

IMO, pasta salad needs to be packed with different colors, textures, and flavors, and that’s exactly what we have going on here in this fall version. 

Shredded brussels sprouts are one of my favorite things on a typical Thanksgiving table, and they’re surprisingly yummy when paired with pasta (proof here). I’m not the biggest fan of raw brussels sprouts, so I opted to cook them a bit to caramelize them and make them a bit softer. That said, you do you. Raw brussels sprouts will cut down the prep time substantially!

The only other “cooked” part of this recipe is the pasta, which is DeLallo’s Organic Whole Wheat Radiatori! This whole grain cut is so tasty with all of the other fall flavors happening here. It’s a little nuttier and a bit toothier than regular pasta, and it holds up so nicely against our other mixins. Plus, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a family holiday without at least one DeLallo product making appearance since I was a kid. We are a DeLallo family through and through!

Then we add other no-cook ingredients: chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and fresh parsley. If you’re not a fan of pecans, try pumpkin seeds. No cranberries? How about pomegranate seeds! This pasta salad is super customizable for any palate.

Just don’t skip the dressing, okay? Please. Whatever you do. Make this dressing and drench every last noodle with the stuff. It’s a typical vinaigrette recipe with the normal cast of characters, and it. is. epic.

Tangy, sweet, slightly mustardy. It stands up so well to all of the other flavors happening in this salad. I suggest only dressing the salad right before serving, or the noodles will suck it up a bit too much. Or you can double the dressing recipe and serve some on the side. Totes up to you.

If you’re looking for a simple, non-fussy Thanksgiving side that everyone will love, you’ve found it! Way to go! 

Serve it with the Vegan Fall Lasagna from earlier this week, and you’re IN for the best carb-o-licious Thanksgiving of your life.

The colors! The textures! The flavors! Happy Thanksgiving to y-o-u.

The post Vegan Fall Pasta Salad appeared first on Fooduzzi.

Oh me oh my! It’s Thanksgiving Pasta Week!

I’ve talked about this a lot on the blog, but it’s worth saying again: I’m so not a fan of traditional Thanksgiving food. 

It’s weird, you know? Being a food blogger and all. Like, Thanksgiving is our Super Bowl. And here I am, all “Meh” about gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

I know, I know. Don’t hate. I’m just being truthful over here.

That said, I’m totally into the flavors of fall. Especially when pasta is involved.

That’s why I’m so excited to share two vegan pasta recipes, full of festive flavors, packed with veg, and just as indulgent as you want Thanksgiving dishes to be. 

And we’re starting with a doozy. Vegan Fall Lasagna! Never thought I’d actually write those words on this blog.

I always thought lasagna was so intimidating. Those layers! The flavors! It really is a sight to behold.

But. I think we nailed it. Nay. We totally nailed it. I mean look at this thing!! I’m such a proud lasagna mama. 

I’m not gonna lie to you, this recipe is a bit…involved. It’s probably the most involved recipe on the blog. That said, Thanksgiving is the day you go all-out. You can do this. Here are the deets!

Pumpkin Lentil Sauce: Yay! Pumpkin, but savory. It’s creamy, it’s tasty, and it’s made in one pot. Cook your onion, garlic, broth, pumpkin, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, blend it in a blender, and you’re ready to go. 

Garlic Thyme Mushrooms: Perhaps my favorite filling ingredient of the bunch! We’re starting with a ton of mushrooms here (24oz.!), but we’re cooking them down until they’re caramelized and water-free. Water is the enemy of veggie lasagna, and pre-cooking the dickens out of the mushrooms is the way to avoid any water issues!

DeLallo Roasted Red Peppers with Garlic: Yum. These peppers are amazing. Roasted red peppers but elevated with a bit of garlic flavor. Love them so much! We’re not cooking this filling ingredient, so just make sure to press out any extra liquid before chopping and adding to your lasagna.

Fooduzzi Vegan Ricotta (with Spinach): Ahhh! I’m so tickled that this recipe works in lasagna. It’s pretty much indistinguishable from regular ricotta in lasagna, so that’s why we’re doubling the recipe. It requires just a handful of ingredients, and it comes together in the blender. So good. And for color, we’re adding just a bit of blanched spinach. Again, drained really well. 

Caramelized Onions: The best way to treat an onion. Guaranteed.

DeLallo No-Boil Organic Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles: I mean…this is pretty incredible, right? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a whole wheat lasagna noodle before. Let alone one that requires no cooking ahead of time and one that’s organic! I love DeLallo for many many reasons, but these are at the tippy top of that list. They. Rock. 

Fried Sage & Pumpkin Seed Crumble: You know how a coffee cake gets a crumble on top? This lasagna does too! But it’s savory and made of only two ingredients. I wanted to steer clear of any store-bought vegan cheese products for this recipe, and the top was looking a little…sad without that typical melty layer of cheese. The crumble solves that problem by giving us one more kick of fall flavor. So yum. 

You can do this. If you’re looking for a vegan-friendly main for Thanksgiving, look no further. You’ve found it.

You can prep a lot of it ahead of time (more on that in the instructions), and you’ll be left with a delicious-smelling house, a crowd-pleasing meal, and a big ol’ smile on your face. 

Be sure to cut yourself an extra big slice, k?

The post Vegan Fall Lasagna appeared first on Fooduzzi.

When you go to a party, what’s the #1 thing you’re most excited about?

The people? The games? The conversations?

I’m guessing 99.9% of you are saying, “Of course not. I’m most excited about the food.”

So imagine the excitement I felt when DeLallo came to me and said, “Hey, we’re launching this new pasta, and we’d like you to throw a pasta party to celebrate with your friends and family.”

Um…twist my arm.

Just last week, I invited my brother, Mark and his parents, and myself over to my parents’ house for the most epic pasta party ever.

We had drinks! We had salad! We had snacks! We had dessert! But most importantly, we had pasta. 

Because I’m ever-so-slightly totally in love with pasta, I made two different kinds:

• DeLallo Linguine – I used it for my Vegan One-Pot Pumpkin Pasta recipe! It’s so creamy, so simple, and so so fall-y topped with salty fried sage.
• DeLallo Casarecce – aka. lil twists! I used it for the new recipe we’re focusing on today, Vegan Cacio e Pepe!

This new pasta from DeLallo is so cool, especially for food nerds like me. Not only does it actually come from Italy (near Naples, actually!), it’s extruded with bronze dies. That sounds intense. I know. But all you need to know is that it creates a rougher texture on the pasta, which is ideal for capturing just the right amount of sauce in every bite.

And I mean, come on. That packaging. ?

But let’s talk Vegan Cacio e Pepe, shall we? 

Cacio e Pepe is one of my very favorite pasta recipes to make because it’s just so gosh-darn simple. It translates to “cheese and pepper,” and that’s basically all it is (plus some butter and pasta water to make the sauce all velvety and luscious).

For people unfamiliar with Cacio e Pepe, I like to describe it as “grown up mac and cheese.” It’s creamy, it’s slightly tangy, and it has juuuust the right amount of bite from the black pepper. It’s also a classic Roman dish, so if you head on over to the Italian capital city, chances are you’ll see it on pretty much every menu.

That said, traditional Cacio e Pepe isn’t very vegan. In fact, it’s not even sort of vegan. So that’s why I set my sights on turning this simple, dairy-based recipe vegan.

The base of this recipe is cashew cream, aka. a thick, blended mixture of raw cashews and water. Cashew cream plays two roles in this vegan take on Cacio e Pepe:

1. Creaminess
2. Nutty “cheesy” flavor

We’re also getting flavor from nutritional yeast (not a lot, just enough to accentuate that cheesy flavor), lemon juice (for a bit more “tang”), salt (because cheese is salty!), and, of course, black pepper.

I’m a huge black pepper-on-creamy-things person. I’m a firm believer that any creamy soup, pasta sauce, or substance is made better with lots of black pepper. My suggestion is to add the called-for amount to the sauce, and serve it with a pepper grinder on the table for the pepper lovers in your life. They will thank you. Trust me.

This is such a simple pasta recipe, and the flavor is eerily similar to the traditional cheese-based sauce. We all (my omnivore guests included!) loved it, and my brother even said that he didn’t realize it wasn’t made with cheese. 

Let me know if you give it a try! Bonus points if you throw your own pasta party while you’re at it. ?

The post Vegan Cacio e Pepe (& a Pasta Party!) appeared first on Fooduzzi.