Creamy Veggie Pasta
This easy, creamy veggie pasta whips up in less than 20 minutes for a satisfying vegetable-packed meal that’s pure creamy comfort food. Toss in whatever veggies you have for a simple dinner that the family will love.
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Why make this recipe
We love creamy pasta dishes in my house, like coconut alfredo, silken tofu pasta, or even tahini pasta and this creamy veggie pasta is no exception. I love that you can add whatever veggies you have on hand and change it up based on your mood. The creamy dairy-free sauce is super easy to make and it turns boring old pasta into something special.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Vegetables – you can use any vegetables that you have that sound good to you. I usually use zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. You can also use asparagus, cauliflower, carrots, and more.
- Light Olive Oil – or any neutral flavored oil to saute the veggies in. To make it oil-free, you can saute the veggies in some vegetable broth instead of oil.
- Garlic – for flavor. Fresh minced garlic is best, but garlic powder will also work. If you don’t like garlic, you can use a small onion or shallot instead.
- Sour Cream – you can use store-bought vegan sour cream or easily make your own vegan sour cream from silken tofu. If you can’t find vegan sour cream, you can also use cashew cream, a can of coconut milk, or coconut cream instead.
- Pasta water or Vegetable Broth – to thin out the cream sauce.
- Nutritional Yeast – (optional) for a little cheesy flavor. This is a yellow flaky powder that is sold in health food stores and large grocery stores. It adds an umami or cheesy flavor to recipes without the use of dairy.
- Salt and Pepper – for flavor. Fresh ground black pepper gives the best flavor. Red pepper flakes also give the sauce a hint of spice.
- Pasta – any type or shape of pasta that you would like. See my list of vegan pasta brands if you are not sure what to buy.
How to make creamy veggie pasta
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Boil a 16 oz package of pasta in salted water according to package directions.
Step 2 – In a large frying pan or wok, warm the minced garlic in 3 tablespoons oil at the lowest heat setting while you are washing and chopping 6-8 cups of veggies into bite-sized pieces.
Step 3 – Toss in the chopped veggies (except for the cherry tomatoes and spinach) and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of Italian herbs, then turn up the heat to medium.
Step 4 – Sauté the veggies for about 6-8 minutes until they turn darker and start to become tender, then add cherry tomatoes and spinach and cook for another minute or two until the spinach wilts.
Step 5 – Add 1/2 cup of pasta water and 1 1/2 cups of vegan sour cream, plus 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional) and stir well. Slowly add in an additional 1/2 cup of pasta water until the desired consistency is achieved.
Step 6 – Let it come to a slow boil, then turn off the heat, add drained cooked pasta, and toss well until combined.
Step 7 – Add salt and pepper to taste, add a dash of red pepper flakes for a little spice if desired, and serve hot.
Add some vegan protein and make it a heartier meal if desired by tossing in some fried tofu, shredded vegan chicken, or some vegan Italian sausages.
Pro Tips
- Serve the pasta immediately, it’s the creamiest when hot.
- The cream sauce may seem too watery at first, but after it cooks and starts to cool a little, it thickens up.
- If you use my homemade vegan sour cream, cashew cream, or coconut cream you will need a little less pasta water.
- It’s delicious with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice mixed in at the end of cooking.
How to make this creamy pasta gluten-free
This creamy vegan pasta sauce is naturally gluten-free, so all you have to do is use the gluten-free pasta of your choice. Tip – When using gluten-free pasta, slightly undercook the pasta so that it doesn’t get too soft, and then rinse the pasta well after cooking.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: Leftover creamy veggie pasta keeps well in the fridge for 3- 5 days in sealed containers. I like to use 16 oz. glass containers for individual lunches.
Freeze: Place your leftovers in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat your vegetable pasta in the microwave for about 3 minutes, stopping to stir it halfway through. You can also toss it back into a frying pan with a tablespoon or two of water, cover it, and reheat it until warm.
More easy pasta recipes
We love quick and easy vegan pasta recipes in my house! Here are a few of our favorites.
- Vegan Broccoli Alfredo
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Simple Vegan Tomato Pasta
- Easy Vegan Stroganoff
- Broccoli Pasta
- Vegan Rasta Pasta
- Broccolini Pasta with Lemon and Capers
Creamy vegetable pasta recipe
Creamy Veggie Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package pasta, any shape
- 3 tablespoons light olive oil, or neutral-flavored oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (use more or less to your taste)
- 2 cups zucchini
- 2 cups broccoli
- 1 cup mushrooms, (An 8 oz container washed and sliced)
- 1 cup bell peppers
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, (optional)
- 1 cup pasta water, or veggie broth
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Boil a 16 oz package of pasta in salted water according to package directions.
- In a large frying pan or wok, warm the minced garlic in 3 tablespoons oil at the lowest heat setting while you are washing and chopping 6-8 cups of veggies into bite-sized pieces.
- Toss in the chopped veggies (except for the cherry tomatoes and spinach) and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of Italian herbs, then turn up the heat to medium.
- Sauté the veggies for about 6-8 minutes until they turn darker and start to become tender, then add cherry tomatoes and spinach and cook for another minute or two until the spinach wilts.
- Add 1/2 cup of pasta water and 1 1/2 cups of vegan sour cream, plus 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional) and stir well. Slowly add in an additional 1/2 cup of pasta water until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Let it come to a slow boil, then turn off the heat, add drained cooked pasta, and toss well until combined.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, add a dash of red pepper flakes for a little spice if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- Serve the pasta immediately, it’s the creamiest when hot.
- The cream sauce may seem too watery at first, but after it cooks and starts to cool a little, it thickens up.
- If you use my homemade vegan sour cream, cashew cream, or coconut cream you will need a little less pasta water.
- It’s delicious with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice mixed in at the end of cooking.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
This looks delicious and like an easy way to load up on veggies! I also have a lone carton of silken tofu that needs used up, so this recipe would be perfect for it! However, I checked out your sour cream recipe and noticed that it doesn’t say how many cups it makes. Would a single batch yield the 1.5 cups called for here? (I usually double recipes, so I would need 3 cups.) Thanks!
Hi Nichole, the tofu sour cream recipe yields about 2 cups of sour cream.
Thank you so much! I have the pasta on my menu for next week. Can’t wait to try it!