10 Plant-Based Pasta Recipes Will Rock Your World

Pasta is both deceivingly simple and immensely complicated. It can be found in limitless shapes, textures, and varieties, and can stand up to any number of ingredients, cooking techniques, and sauces.  

Given its versatility, there are many pasta pitfalls waiting to trip up home cooks. One problem is not using enough cold water. If you skimp out, you run the risk of your noodles not having enough room to expand (they’ll also take longer to cook). Another tip is to HEAVILY salt the cooking water, which seasons the noodles themselves and makes any pasta dish much more flavorful. You’ll also want to bring the water to a rapid boil before dropping the pasta; if you add your noodles too soon, they may end up soggy and improperly cooked.

Now that you know how to make exquisitely prepared pasta, you’re ready to zhuzh it up with some clever sauce options. If you’re in the mood for something a little richer, go with a creamy mushroom or roasted red pepper sauce; for a recipe on the lighter side, look to a green tea pesto or a simple tomato pomodoro. Our Meatless Monday list of plant-based pasta recipes even includes ideas for non-noodle variations, like spaghetti squash and zoodles. Take a look and be inspired by all that’s possible with pasta.

Black Bean Meatless Balls and Zucchini Noodles

Up your veggie intake with this recipe for black bean meatballs and zucchini noodles. Making the “zoodles” is easy: just spiralize or cut into thin, noodle-sized strips, and sauté in a pan for around five minutes (or until soft). The meatless meatballs are equally simple to make, requiring only a bit of bean mashing and a handful of additional ingredients (shallots, garlic, bread crumbs, flaxseeds, spices). You can use a jarred marinara sauce or make your own simple tomato sauce. For the Black Bean Meatless Balls and Zucchini Noodles recipe, click here.

Butternut Squash Pasta

Roasting butternut squash with some brown sugar creates a creamy, sweet-savory flavor that makes for a tasty pasta sauce. Blend the roasted butternut squash with some non-dairy milk and pour over cooked pasta. Add a sprinkle of fresh thyme and pumpkin seeds and serve. For the Butternut Squash Pasta recipe, click here.

Green Tea Pesto Pasta

Green tea pasta? Yep, the combination of the slightly bitter, herbaceous brewed green tea pairs surprisingly well with the fresh basil, lemon juice, garlic, and pine nuts. That being said, the elements that give this sauce its creamy texture are the peas and garbanzo beans. Purée the legumes with the rest of the sauce for a velvety, protein-rich plant-based sauce. For Green Tea Pesto Pasta recipe, click here.

Easy Macaroni Salad

Although it’s not a typical pasta dish, this easy macaroni salad is too simple to keep off the list. Dice up the veggies (bell pepper, red onion, and gherkins are recommended), cook the pasta, and toss all the ingredients in a smooth yogurt, maple, and Dijon dressing. You’re going to want to eat it right away, but try to resist, and allow everything to chill in the fridge for at least thirty minutes. For the Easy Macaroni Salad recipe, click here.

Joe Bastianich’s Spaghetti Pomodoro

Simple as it may be, spaghetti pomodoro is a meatless classic. But because of its simplicity, restaurant tycoon Joe Bastianich recommends using the finest ingredients available to you for maximum taste, such as San Marzano tomatoes. For Joe Bastianich’s Spaghetti Pomodoro recipe, click here.

Pasta with a Creamy Red Bell Pepper Sauce and Wilted Mizuna

No dairy necessary to create this velvety red bell pepper sauce. The secret to achieving an extra creamy sauce is a sprinkle of tapioca flour into the olive oil, shallot, and garlic mixture. The next step is to deglaze the pan with white wine and non-dairy milk and throw all the ingredients, including the roasted red peppers, into a food processor and blend until smooth. For the Pasta with a Creamy Red Bell Pepper Sauce and Wilted Mizuna recipe, click here.

Pasta Primavera

Celebrate the flavors of spring with this recipe for pasta primavera. Feel free to use any seasonal vegetables you have on hand (or that look pretty in the supermarket). Cook the ingredients in a vegetable broth and then reduce the liquid to create a light-yet-pungent pasta sauce. Finish with a splash of coconut milk, lemon juice, and vegan parmesan. For the Pasta Primavera recipe, click here.

Plant-Based Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Grape Tomatoes

If you’re into gardening—even if that means a pot of herbs on your windowsill—then you’ll love this quick-and-easy vegan pesto pasta. Start with a fresh basil pesto that uses garlic, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil. Once the sauce is ready, cook your cherry tomatoes in a hot skillet and toss them with the cooked pasta, arugula, and pine nuts. For the Plant-Based Pesto Pasta Salad with Grilled Grape Tomatoes recipe, click here.

Spaghetti Squash Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Spaghetti squash is a terrific alternative to traditional pasta. And sure, this may not be your traditional Italian-style noodles and sauce, but the combination of ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sriracha, and, wait for it, chocolate peanut butter, makes for a fun, tangy spin that will undoubtedly excite those taste buds. For the Spaghetti Squash Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce recipe, click here.

Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta

Beer and shiitake mushrooms come together in this special, umami-rich plant-based pasta dish. Cooking the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and smoked paprika in a hot skillet before deglazing the pan with wheat beer, creates a bold foundation for your sauce. Add a little non-dairy cream and pasta water to thicken the sauce to your liking. For the Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta recipe, click here.

Click here for more Meatless Monday recipes. When posting pictures of recipes to your social media network, tag @MeatlessMonday use #MeatlessMonday to show the plant-based community your creation.