Prep Time
10 minutes
Cooking Time
20 minutes
Yields
4
Ingredients
2½ cups small shell pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cups broccoli florets, chopped stems, and leaves (keep stems separate)
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
For the creamy vegan pasta sauce:
1½ cups cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup vegetable broth, more as needed
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup nutritional yeast*
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
Make the sauce: In a blender, combine the white beans, broth, lemon juice, olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped broccoli stems and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add the broccoli florets and leaves and a splash of water or vegetable broth. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow the broccoli to steam for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender but still bright green.
Add the pasta, then stir in ¾ of the sauce, adding more broth if the sauce is too dry. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and lemon juice, as desired, and portion into bowls. Divide the remaining sauce onto each bowl. Top with the pine nuts if desired.
Notes
This creamy sauce is a great starting point for different combinations of vegetables, noodles, seasonings, and more. You can change up the veggie to cauliflower or Brussels sprouts or roasted tomatoes. Spice it up. I love adding a few pinches of red pepper flakes to my bowl. Get creative with flavor add-ins. Amp up this creamy vegan pasta with chopped sun-dried tomatoes, dollops of vegan pesto, or fresh basil leaves.