If you're looking for a quick, delicious, family-friendly vegan dinner idea that you can pull together quickly, this creamy vegan broccoli pasta checks all of those boxes! It's an easy weeknight meal everyone will love.
I'm all about quick and easy dinner ideas, and recipes just like my vegan bolognese, cheesy taco pasta, and my stuffed sweet potatoes.
When I come across a new recipe that looks good but has a huge list of ingredients, a long list of complicated steps, and it requires multiple pots and pans to make, I move along.
That's the kind of cook I am, and if you're the same as me, then this vegan broccoli pasta is a recipe you're going to love. You're also going to love Nicole Malik's new book, "Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking."
Nicole runs the food blog, Delicious Everyday, and while her website is not 100% vegan (but she does have plenty of vegan recipes), her book is all vegan. And it's a good one.
Every single recipe in this book can be made in just one pot. On top of that, all recipes call for minimal ingredients, they come together quickly, they're all easy to make, AND they taste great.
What Kind of Recipes Will I Find in Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking?
Inside, you'll find the following chapters. I've included a couple of recipes from each one to give you an idea of the deliciousness inside this book...
- Eat Your Veggies (Portobello "Pot Roast", 3-Bean Southwest Cornbread Pie)
- Eat with Your Hands (Mushroom Tinga Tacos, Chickpea Burgers with Sweet Mustard Sauce, and more)
- Crowd-Pleasing Comfort Food (like Stovetop Lasagna Skillet, Fiery Red Curry Noodles)
- Incredible Grains (Red Beans and Rice with Veggie Kebabs, Louisiana-Style Cajun Jambalaya)
- Bowls of Deliciousness (15-Minute Curry Noodle Soup, Smoky White Bean Chili)
- Rise and Shine (Savory Mushroom Congee, Crispy Breakfast Hash)
- Simply Sweet One-Pot Treats (Coconut Bananas Foster, Gingered Carrot Halwa)
Note that not all recipes are gluten-free, but the majority of them are.
I was permitted to share a recipe from the book and I chose the "Kickin' Creamy Broccoli Pasta" from the Crown-Pleasing Comfort Food chapter. Because doesn't that sound delicious??
Ingredients You'll Need
As you can see from the ingredients below, you don't need a lot to make this meal.
To make this broccoli pasta vegan, you'll be using non-dairy milk. No dairy is needed to make the creamy, delicious sauce for this pasta!
Steps to Make This Recipe
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this one-pot recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions at the end of this post.)
As mentioned, all of the recipes in Nicole's book are easy to make. They require just a few steps, a few ingredients, and one pot. This recipe is no different.
You'll first start out by cooking the garlic and shallots. Next, add the broccoli salt and red pepper flakes and cook until the broccoli starts to get soft.
Next, you'll add the cornstarch, mix, and then add the vegetable broth, the non-dairy milk and stir.
After that, add the pasta and bring everything to a boil. Cover and simmer until the pasta is cooked. Garnish with more red pepper flakes and chopped parsley, if you'd like, and serve right away with the side dish of your choice (like vegan garlic bread!).
And that is it. A simple, quick, and easy dinner suitable for the entire family!
Can a Different Pasta Be Used?
Sure! I would stick with the same quantity of another small-shaped pasta like the bow ties (farfalle) that the recipe calls for.
Can I Make This Pasta with Frozen Broccoli?
Yes! And no need to thaw, just add the frozen broccoli to the pot as instructed. You will have to cook the broccoli for a minute or two longer.
Can This be Made Ahead and Stored for Later?
I find that this dish is best served immediately. After sitting for a while, the creamy sauce can dry up a little, and while it still tastes great, it's just not the same as when it was freshly made.
This creamy vegan pasta recipe has since become a regular on my rotation, my kids love it, we all love it. I hope you love it, too! If you make it, please leave a comment below or share a pic with me on Instagram!
If you buy "Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking," you'll be happy you did. It has made a great addition to my cookbook collection as it will in yours, too!
If you like this recipe...
...you may also like these other quick and easy vegan dinner ideas:
- Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Creamy Vegan Tomato Pasta
- Vegan Tahini Pasta
- Mushroom Stew
- Vegan Fried Rice
- Vegan Chili Mac
- Taco Rice Bowls
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Pasta
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cups (284 g) broccoli florets
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (plus more for serving)
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 4 cups (944 ml) vegetable broth
- 2 cups (472 ml) unsweetened almond milk (see note below)
- 1 (16 oz / 454 g) box farfalle pasta (gluten-free, if needed)
- fresh parsley
Instructions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallots. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the broccoli begins to soften.
- Add the cornstarch and the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the olive oil. Cook, stirring continuously for 1 minute. Add the vegetable broth and almond milk. Stir to combine.
- Add the pasta and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve with parsley and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the helpful info and FAQ above to ensure recipe success.
- Almond milk is preferred for this recipe, but any unsweetened plant based milk that you prefer will work well such as cashew milk, soy milk, or rice milk, just make sure that whatever type you use is unsweetened.
- Half of a small yellow onion, finely diced, can be used in place of the shallots.
- Nutrition info is based on the recipe made as written and is based on 1 of 4 servings. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Kathleen Johnson says
This looks and sounds delicious! And easy! Will be adding this to the menu this week.
And thank you Gwen for including the metric measurements- it’s so helpful for me!
Gwen Leron says
Hi Kathleen! It's such a great recipe to turn to when you want something quick, I hope you like it. And yes, I have been adding the metric measurements to all new recipes. I made the switch myself a while back and I like it so much better. I still have a lot of my older recipes that need updating, but I'm making my way through slowly 🙂 Enjoy the broccoli pasta!
Elizabeth says
Simple. Healthy. Enjoyed!
Gwen Leron says
Very happy to hear it was enjoyed, Elizabeth! Simple recipe are the best 🙂
Becky @ Vegan Beckles says
Mmmm this looks so simple and delicious! Healthy too!
Gwen Leron says
Yes! It's a very simple meal for busy evenings 🙂