Tags
Daiya, Smoked Gouda, Vegan, vegan baking, Vegan Cheese, vegan diet, Vegan Food, Vegan Holiday, vegan lifestyle, Vegan Options, Vegan Potluck
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. If, by chance, you are in need of a vegan option to take to a potluck or are having a vegan visit for dinner, I wanted to share a recipe I recently made. I have two go-to recipes for potlucks/family dinners: a pumpkin kibbeh or the tahini casserole from Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet. I wanted to try something different this year and, while thumbing through my recipe box, found a casserole I wanted to try.
I found the original recipe in an Eating Well magazine and thought it sounded tasty. Tasty, but it was not vegan. I made a few tweaks and my vegan result was wonderful; just as creamy and delicious as I imagine the original to be. It’s easy, doesn’t take much prep, and travels well. I portioned out what I didn’t take with to the dinner and put the containers in the freezer. I pull one out the night before to thaw, heat it up, put it in my thermos, and I have a delicious hot lunch at work.
If you or your vegan visitor like asparagus and pasta in a creamy sauce, give this recipe a try. Happy Holidays!
No-Cheese, Asparagus, and Pea Baked Pasta
12 oz chickpea rotini (I like the chickpea pasta because it keeps its texture)
1/2 cup minced white or yellow onion
1 lb bag frozen organic asparagus, cut into bite size pieces if whole
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen organic peas
5 TBSP all-purpose flour
4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
4 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 block Daiya cheese, Smoked Gouda flavor, shredded
1 TBSP chopped tarragon, or 1 tsp dried
2/3 cups whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- Preheat the oven to 375. Coat a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chickpea pasta and cook 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water and drain pasta. Put pasta in a large bowl and set aside.
- Put the minced onion in a large skillet over medium-low heat and cook until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the frozen vegetables and heat until vegetables are thawed, adding a little water to the pan if vegetables start to stick. Scrape into the bowl with the pasta.
- Using the same pan, heat 2 TBSP of the oil and then sprinkle in the flour, whisking until the flour starts to brown-2 to 3 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the milk. Add the reserved water, mustard, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in Daiya and tarragon.
- Pour sauce over the pasta and vegetables and stir until coated.
- Transfer to the prepared dish.
- In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with 2 TBSP olive oil and sprinkle over the casserole.
- Bake until heated through, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving or let cool, cover, and take to a potluck.
It will serve 8 if each has 1 cup. Any leftover can be parceled out and frozen.
The original recipe was published in the Eating Well magazine by Katie Workman: I didn’t copy down the edition. I’ll be better, I promise 🙂 I subbed out 2 cups leeks for the onion I had on hand, Gruyere for Daiya’s Smoked Gouda, and milk for almond milk.