Vegan Pasta Primavera (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the pasta

01 - 2 cups dry rigatoni pasta (or pasta of choice)

→ For the vegetables

02 - 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or as needed to coat pan)
03 - 1 cup chopped asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
05 - 1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup snow peas
07 - ½ cup frozen peas
08 - ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For the sauce

10 - 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or as needed to coat pan)
11 - 1 medium shallot, diced
12 - 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
13 - 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel (optional)
14 - 1 cup vegetable broth
15 - ½ cup plain unsweetened oat milk (preferably full-fat extra creamy)
16 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
17 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese (optional)

→ For garnish (optional)

18 - Fresh basil and parsley leaves
19 - Crushed red pepper flakes
20 - Nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese
21 - Chopped walnuts
22 - Lemon (grated lemon peel, lemon juice, and lemon slices)

# Instructions:

01 - Bring a 6-quart (or larger) pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 12 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside while you prepare the vegetables and sauce.
02 - While the pasta is cooking, heat the grapeseed oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, tilting the pan to ensure it's evenly coated. Add the asparagus, red bell pepper, zucchini, snow peas, frozen peas, and cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cover and cook for about 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still maintain their vibrant colors and some crispness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
03 - Once cooked, transfer the vegetables to a separate bowl or plate and set aside. You'll use the same skillet to make the sauce, capturing all those wonderful vegetable flavors.
04 - Return the empty skillet to medium heat and add another tablespoon of grapeseed oil, again tilting to coat evenly. Add the diced shallot and cook for about 3 minutes, or until it becomes translucent and fragrant. Stir in the minced garlic and grated lemon peel (if using) and cook for just 1 minute more, until the garlic becomes fragrant but doesn't brown.
05 - Pour the vegetable broth into the skillet with the aromatics. Allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for about 8 minutes, or until the volume has reduced by half. This concentrates the flavors and creates the base for your creamy sauce.
06 - Stir the oat milk, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan (if using) into the reduced broth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is hot throughout and no longer appears streaky. The sauce should be smooth and have a light creamy consistency.
07 - Add the cooked pasta and the reserved vegetables back to the skillet with the sauce. Gently toss everything together until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated with the creamy lemon sauce and the entire mixture is heated through.
08 - Transfer the pasta primavera to a serving dish or individual plates. Drizzle any remaining sauce from the skillet over the top. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs like basil and parsley, a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for heat, additional nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan for cheesy flavor, chopped walnuts for crunch, and lemon accents like grated peel, juice, or decorative slices.

# Notes:

01 - This recipe is very flexible - feel free to substitute any seasonal vegetables you have on hand.
02 - For a creamier sauce, you can increase the amount of oat milk or add a tablespoon of vegan butter.
03 - The nutritional yeast adds a subtle cheesy flavor to the sauce, but it's completely optional.
04 - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
05 - This dish works well as a large entree for 2 people or as a side dish for 4-6 people.

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