Asparagus and Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz whole wheat pasta (rotini preferred)

  • 1 ½ lb asparagus - cut into 1 ½ in long pieces

  • 1 red bell pepper - diced

  • 2 scallions - thinly sliced with white bottoms and green tops separated

  • 8 oz mushrooms - sliced

  • 4 cloves of garlic - pressed or minced

  • 1 ¼ cup vegetable broth (low sodium)

  • 2 tsp dried basil

  • 2 tbs nutricional yeast

  • ½ tsp garlic powder

  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

  • ½ cup soy milk

  • 2 tsp cornstarch

  • Black pepper to taste

  • Reduced sodium soy sauce


Instructions:

  1. Boil the pasta in plenty of water according to package instructions. Drain pasta and return to pan reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the white bottoms of the scallion and cook for a minute. Add the asparagus and red bell pepper and cook for a couple of minutes. Add ¼ cup of vegetable broth and wuickly cover. Allow vegetables to steam for 2 minutes. Uncover and add the mushrooms, add a splash of water if it seems dry and cover. Cover for about 2 minutes or until mushrooms exude their juices. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Turn off the heat.

  3. Add coked vegetables to the pan with the pasta and combine well. Cover and keep warm in very low heat.

  4. Put vegetable broth into a small sauce pan. Place it over medium high heat. Add basil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. As it comes to a boil, whisk together the soy milk and cornstarch in a small bowl and add it to the saucepan. Cook, stirring until it boils and thickens slightly. Pour it over the pasta and vegetables and stir to coat. If it seems dry, add a little of the pasta water.

  5. Check the seasonings and add black pepper to taste (I added a splash of reduced sodium soy sauce)

  6. Serve sprinkling the green top of the scallions over the top.


Note: this is an adaptation of the Asparagus and mushroom pasta recipe from the Fat Free Vegan kitchen blog by Susan Voisin - here is a link to the original recipe https://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2020/04/vegan-asparagus-and-mushroom-pasta.html