Creamy vegan taco pasta loaded with black beans, corn, onions, and fresh cilantro. You’d never know that the sauce is dairy-free, it’s so thick and creamy from the cashews! Vegan.
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I still can’t believe how amazing cashew cream is!
I keep using it in new recipes and thinking maybe it’s not going to turn out this time, but it always works!
Every. Single. Time!
OUR FAVORITE CASHEW CREAM RECIPES:
- The Best Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Shells
- Roasted Cauliflower Cashew Cream Alfredo Sauce
- Dairy-Free Broccoli Salad
- Rainbow Cherry Tomato Pesto Cream Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (My favorite recipe I’ve ever made!)
Vegan Taco Pasta
I had some leftover cashew cream sauce from dinner last week that I wanted to use up in tonight’s dinner, so I started thinking about meals that I haven’t made in awhile. Lately, I’ve been trying to recreate meals using cashew cream that usually contain dairy.
A light bulb went off, taco pasta! Bingo!
I used to make taco pasta often with ground meat and lots of cheese. That was before I started cooking vegan meals.
Does Vegan Taco Pasta Have Protein?
Vegan taco pasta is easy to make, full of healthy vegetables, and just as creamy and full of flavor as the original taco pasta that everyone knows and loves.
The main source of complete protein is from the black beans and wheat combined. I didn’t have any tofu on hand or I probably would have crumbled it up and cooked it like ground beef to add to the pasta for a little extra protein.
Taco-Flavored Cashew Cream Pasta Sauce
The cashew cream pasta sauce is perfectly seasoned with a mix of chili powder, garlic powder, and taco seasonings.
The blended cashews and unsweetened coconut milk make the cashew cream sauce so darn creamy! It really tastes like a butter, flour, and cream-based sauce! It makes the taco pasta taste very decadent and you don’t feel like you’re restricting yourself from eating certain ingredients.
When I make chili or tofu for tacos, I like to add a little bit of vegan worcestershire to add an extra layer of flavor. Since this vegan taco pasta follows a similar flavor profile, I thought the Worcestershire would be delicious in this recipe too. It sure was!
[tweetthis]#Vegan #TacoPasta with #CashewCream is even better than the original! #BuzzFeedFood #FoodPorn[/tweetthis]
Which Noodles Should You Use for Vegan Taco Pasta?
Let’s talk noodles.
I’m a huge pasta fan. I’d eat it all day every day if I could!
That being said, I’ve tried a lot of different brands of noodles but this one is my absolute favorite
These noodles just have a thicker, chewier consistency to them. They don’t break up in the sauce, and I especially love how the twisty noodles soak up all the sauce in their ridges. I buy this multi-pack because I like to have choices based on what dish I’m cooking and I also like having backup packages in the freezer.
What Dry Foods Can Be Stored In The Freezer?
Yes, I said in the freezer.
I bet you’re wondering why would I store noodles in the freezer, right?
I’ll tell you why! I used to store all foods in our pantry, but after forgetting about a huge bag of rice I had shoved to the back of the shelf for a few months, I started seeing little bugs crawling around on that shelf. I pulled everything out and found the old rice bag full of weevils!
Aghhhhh, it was horrible!
I immediately threw the bag of rice into the trash outside and then headed back inside to clear the weevil-filled shelf. I thought that the weevils had only gotten into the rice bag until I realized that the weevils came from the rice bag and got into all of the packages of pasta and dry goods that I had on other shelves.
So, I threw everything out, cried a little bit because I hate wasting food, did some research about weevils, called Travis and my mom, freaked out a little bit more, and then I told myself to get it together and find a solution.
Travis’ aunt told us that the same thing happened to her, so now she keeps all dry ingredients in the freezer. Apparently, pasta, flour, and rice all come with weevil eggs and if you keep them too long then the eggs hatch and turn into bugs. However, if you keep everything in the freezer then it kills the eggs. No air, no critters!
That weekend, I found a garage sale that had a used freezer for sale for only $200. We scooped it up, brought it home, set it up in the garage, and filled it with all of our dry ingredients.
It’s been 4 1/2 years since the incident and guess what? No more weevils!
[tweetthis]Freeze these 8 dry foods so you don’t get weevils in your dry goods! #KitchenTips[/tweetthis]
This is what I freeze –
- All varieties of flour
- Quinoa
- Dry noodles
- Einkorn wheat berries
- Bread
- All varieties of rice
- Amaranth
- Barley
Vegan Taco Pasta
Ingredients
Cashew Cream Sauce -
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Taco Pasta -
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (We love this brand)
- 1 (14 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14 oz) can corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 (16 oz) package of pasta (This is our favorite!)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- Optional - juice from 1/2 a lime
Instructions
- Soak cashews in water for 1 hour, drain and discard water.
- Add cashews, coconut milk, chili powder, taco seasonings, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to a high powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Cook the pasta separately, drain and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water in case you want to thin the sauce a little bit.
- Saute onions and red pepper in olive oil over medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until soft. Add minced garlic and cook for one additional minute.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, black beans, and corn to the pan. Cook for 2-3 or until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the hot pasta to the pan and mix everything together. Pour the cashew sauce over the top. (If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of the hot pasta water to thin it out.)
- Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
I hope you enjoy this wholesome vegan taco pasta as much as we do! Hopefully, it turns you into a cashew cream lover like me!
I just know you’re going to love this vegan taco pasta! If you make it, please post a picture of it with the hashtag #StaceyHomemaker so I can see your yummy creation!
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Have you tried cooking with cashew cream yet, what’s your favorite recipe? Let me know in the comments!
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You may also like…
Cashew Cream Spinach Artichoke Dip
Rainbow Cherry Tomato Pesto Cream Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Creamy Coconut Lentil Chickpea Spinach Soup
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