Kickin’ Vegan Taco Pasta with Sweet Corn
Delicious kickin’ vegan taco pasta tossed with sweet corn and a savory vegan taco pasta cheese sauce. This flavorful and easy vegan taco pasta recipe is packed with protein and might just be your new favorite meatless dinner!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 334cal
Ingredients
- For the vegan taco pasta cheese sauce:
- 3/4 cup cashews + water for soaking
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup water
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- For the pasta:
- 8 ounces large elbow noodles, cavatappi or shells (or pasta of choice!)
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ¼ cups Birds Eye Sweet Corn, cooked according to directions on the package
- 3/4 cup your favorite chunky salsa (or sub ½ cup tomato sauce)
- For serving:
- 1 jalapeno, sliced
- Cilantro, for garnishing
- Salsa for topping
- Diced Avocado
- Hot sauce, if desired
- If not vegan, yogurt is delicious swirled in too!
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in 2 cups of warm water for at least 2 hours; otherwise I've found that you can easily speed up the process by adding the raw cashews to a pot with water and placing over high heat. Bring water to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat; let the cashews sit for about 15-30 minutes in the hot water, then drain.
- Once the cashews have finished soaking you'll be ready to make the sauce: add drained cashews, ½ cup fresh water, garlic, fresh lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne and salt to a blender. Blend on high until sauce comes together. If you want a bit of a thinner sauce or if it is hard to blend, add 2-4 tablespoons more water.
- Next cook your pasta in a large pot according to the directions on the package; drain the pasta and place back in a large pot. Add in drained black beans, cooked Birds Eye corn, salsa and all of the vegan taco cashew cheese sauce. Stir well to combine.
- Top with your favorite garnishes like jalapeno slices (pickled jalapenos are fantastic!), cilantro and extra salsa or hot sauce and avocado. If you aren’t vegan, I highly recommended stirring in some plain yogurt for extra deliciousness. Enjoy! Serves 6.
Notes
Customize your vegan taco pasta
- Make it gluten free by using your favorite gluten free pasta.
- Not vegan? Stir in some yogurt or cheese for creaminess + extra protein, or even add some cooked chicken breast or cooked ground turkey.
- Add your fav toppings! Fresh or pickled jalapeño, cilantro, extra salsa and corn, diced avocado, and fresh diced tomato would all be delicious.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 6) | Calories: 334cal | Carbohydrates: 52.3g | Protein: 12.1g | Fat: 9.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Fiber: 6.3g | Sugar: 6g