High-Protein Vegan 'Marry Me Pasta' (Meal-Prep)
A flavorful and protein-packed pasta dish featuring lentil pasta, creamy cashew sauce, butter beans, vegetables, and spices. This recipe is satisfying, easy to make, and perfect for a delicious and nutritious meal.
Servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz lentil pasta
Cashew Cream
- ¼ cup cashews raw
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cups soy milk
Sauce Base
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 yellow onions finely sliced
- 2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.5 tsp cajun spices
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1.5 cups cooked butter beans
- sea salt flakes to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Finishing
- 4 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a heat-safe bowl, cover the cashews with boiling water and let them sit for 30 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
- Prepare the cashew cream: In a blender, add the cashews, nutritional yeast, and soy milk, and blend until perfectly smooth.
- Prepare the sauce: Add olive oil and onions to a large saucepan on medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes covered.
- Add the red bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes, reduce the heat, and cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, cajun spices, smoked paprika, butter beans, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in the cashew cream and cook for a further 2 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Assemble: Add the pasta, spinach, parsley, and lemon juice to the pot and stir until the spinach is just wilted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nut-free option: use sunflower seeds instead of cashews
Nutritional Information - Per Serving
Calories 620kcal | Carbohydrates 88g | Protein 38g | Fat 10g | Sodium 374mg | Fiber 18g | Vitamin A 339IU | Vitamin C 115mg | Calcium 171mg | Iron 11mg