(Note: this post was originally published on August 25, 2022. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)
On busy evenings, I think many people (including us) find it easiest to cook pasta. It's hearty, quick to make, and comforting. However, pasta made from refined flour and a jar of store-bought sauce don't necessarily yield the most nourishing meal. Let's rethink the easy pasta dinner, shall we? I can't wait to introduce you to this veggie-filled tahini pasta dish.
I've designed this colorful and vegan pasta primavera to be a fast weeknight dish, but with healthier ingredients than the classic. In particular, I wanted to design a recipe that could (a) come together very quickly, (b) be flexible with regards to ingredients, and (c) still nourish the body. This is a recipe that we enjoy again and again at home, and each time it's a little bit different based on what veggies I have on-hand (accordingly, you'll see a variety of different photos below). Make sure to bookmark this tahini pasta, since I'm confident you'll keep coming back to it.
All you need is a handful of veggies (even frozen veggies work fine if that's all you have), some pantry staples, and about 20 minutes to bring this dish together. If you don't mind multi-tasking, you can cook the pasta, prepare the veggies, and make the lemon tahini sauce at the same time. Even on the busiest evening, I still think it's important to make a nice meal, and this one is sure to be a savior at the end of a chaotic day.
This vegan pasta primavera has a couple key nutritional upgrades over the classic. Because of that, it's a meal that's not only easy but also good for the body and something you can feel good about eating regularly.
The first upgrade is to use a bean-based pasta. Look for versions made with only one ingredient (i.e., chickpeas, red lentils, or green lentils). If you use a bean-based pasta, this entire meal just becomes a big bowl of beans and veggies: a real nutritional winner! If you're a pasta lover, make sure to check out my High-Protein Vegan Taco Pasta and my Lemon Blueberry Thyme Pasta Salad too.
The second upgrade is the sauce. I've seen many pasta primavera recipes that call for loads of butter or oil to bring richness to the dish; sadly, this takes an otherwise okay dish nutritionally and really downgrades it. But in this version, you'll use just a bit of olive oil to cook the veggies. The rest of the richness comes from a decadent, creamy, lemon tahini sauce that you'll drizzle on top. I'm a long-term lover of Seeds of Collaboration tahini, which is unbelievably creamy and smooth; use the code ROGUE to save 20% on your order.
This vegan pasta primavera is an incredibly flexible dish, meaning you can make it work with pretty much anything you have on-hand. Feel free to use a different cut of pasta, switch up the crunchy garnishes, add some chickpeas for additional protein, use more or fewer veggies, or even serve it cold as a pasta salad.
Want to switch up the veggies? Anything you can get your hands on will be great; the more the merrier. My only suggestion is to stick with veggies that cook quickly, and to add them to the skillet in order from hardest to softest to make sure they all cook fully. You can also easily use frozen veggies if that's what you have access to. You can even theme this dish seasonally, for example by making a zucchini, corn, and tomato version at the height of summer and an asparagus version during spring.
Want to make this easy tahini pasta ahead of time? It works great made in advance or as a healthy meal-prep option. You can cook the pasta and veggies as directed, combine them, and store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a few days. You can also make the lemon tahini sauce ahead of time; store it separately from the pasta, then add it just before serving (if the sauce thickens up during storage, just add a dash of water). You can either reheat the pasta or enjoy it cold.
Here's what you'll need for this vegan pasta recipe and the lemon tahini sauce, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
Isn't this the perfect quick dinner? It's fast, flexible, easy, and sure to please everyone. Yet it's also good for the body, unlike many other fast meals. This tahini pasta is definitely one that you can feel good about throwing together in a pinch (even if that pinch seems to happen more frequently than you'd like to admit!).
My tip: always keep a couple boxes of red lentil rotini in your pantry, some citrus and tahini in the fridge, and a few bags of veggies stashed in the freezer. Cabbage keeps for ages in the fridge too. I pretty much always have these ingredients on-hand and can whip this up even if we get back from traveling and haven't been to the store in a couple weeks. As long as you have some pantry and freezer staples, there's always a nourishing meal that can be made!
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
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Disclosure: Seeds of Collaboration is a long-term partner. I receive free product from Seeds of Collaboration and take a small commission on sales using the discount code. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.
Loaded with a rainbow of veggies, this vegan pasta primavera is a fast, versatile, customizable meal that I come back to again and again. A few key upgrades over the classic make this version a nutritional winner.
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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