Vegan Asparagus Mushroom Pasta
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 444kcal
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water to boil pasta
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 oz brown rice gluten free penne pasta or pasta of your choice
- 1 pound asparagus (typically 1 bunch) snap off the tough ends, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 7 oz beech mushrooms or other mild-flavored mushrooms chopped into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt plus 1 tablespoon for pasta water, to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme destemmed, crush gently before adding to the pasta, reserve a few sprigs for garnish
- ¼ cup vegan Parmesan optional, plus extra for topping, or use a sprinkle of nutritional yeast
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to boil on medium heat.
- When water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, then add pasta and stir immediately. Cook pasta up to 2 minutes before the recommended cook time period for the pasta, stirring occasionally throughout.
- Two to five minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus to the boiling water, and cook for two to five more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus turns bright green and the pasta water starts gently boiling again. If your asparagus is thick, you may need 4 to 5 minutes of cooking. Skinny asparagus only needs a couple of minutes of cooking time.
- Reserve a half-cup of pasta water. Drain the asparagus and pasta in a colander. Do not rinse.
- Place the empty saucepan back on low to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and after 30 seconds or when the oil starts to shimmer, add garlic. Stir the garlic continuously for 30 seconds, do not let the garlic turn brown. If it starts turning golden, add the mushrooms and stir immediately.
- After adding mushrooms, stir, and add ¾ teaspoon sea salt, vegan butter, and fresh thyme. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently on low-medium to medium heat. If you are seeing browned bits on the bottom of the saucepan, you can deglaze with ¼ cup to ½ cup of the reserved pasta liquid.
- Stir in the pasta and asparagus. Add a couple of pinches of sea salt to taste. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes, until the vegetables and pasta are heated through.
- Serve immediately. Add freshly ground black pepper as desired, and grated vegan Parmesan. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme.
Notes
- Use whichever pasta you like if you don't have or want to use brown rice pasta.
- Deglaze the saucepan by adding reserved pasta water, a couple of tablespoons of water, vegetable stock, or white wine if you are enjoying some with your meal.
- Calories are calculated without the addition of vegan Parmesan.
- Variations - Stir in vegan cream cheese or Cashew Cream along with the pasta water at the end to make a richer sauce, or stir in Vegan Basil Pesto or Carrot Top Chimichurri. Keep in mind that if you add pesto or Chimichurri, the thyme flavor will not be prominent.
- Additions: Green peas or green beans are a great alternative to asparagus.
- Add lemon zest and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a touch of bright acidity.
- You can try fresh basil instead or any combination of fresh herbs that you like, including fresh parsley, fresh marjoram, or fresh oregano.
