Ingredients
- 10 ounces Farfalle (Bow Tie Pasta)
- 2 bunches Broccolini
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 cup, chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes
To Make The Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 3 Tablespoons All-Purpose, Unbleached Flour
- 3 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 0.5 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 0.25 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 0.5 teaspoon, ground Nutmeg
Optional
- 3 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
- 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Directions
I love creamy, cheesy sauces especially with pasta but I am not a fan of heavy, full of fat and dairy sauces that make me feel…well like a round ball after I eat it.
This dish, on the other hand, fulfills my creamy pasta craving without all the added nonsense!
A simple bechamel sauce using almond milk and nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor sooo does the trick.
However, if you don’t care to make this dish vegan, simply use any type of milk to make the sauce and add chopped chicken or sausage!
My recipes are more of a guide to cooking techniques and ingredient pairings but I always encourage to make it your own!
Ok, so what the heck is nutritional yeast?
It is an inactive yeast made from sugar cane and beet molasses.
Nutritional yeast flakes are packed with a number of vitamins and minerals, especially great for vegetarian and vegan dishes! Some even call it the “vegan cheese.”
It has also has significant amounts of protein and fiber. Go get this now as I will be using it in another upcoming recipe!
P.S.: I highly recommend using all organic ingredients!
Steps
1 Done | Roast The BroccoliniPreheat your oven to 425F. While the oven is preheating, prep everything else. Wash and dry the broccolini and spread evenly on a parchment/aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Cut 1 lemon into wedges and add it to the broccolini. Drizzle with about 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Set aside. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes and set aside. Next, get a pot of water for the pasta and get it to a rolling boil. Pour 3 cups of almond milk into a glass/jar and allow it to come to room temperature. Lastly, mince or grate 2 cloves of garlic. Now all the prep is done! By now, the oven should be preheated. Add the broccolini and roast for 10-15 minutes. |
2 Done | Make The Bechamel SauceFirst, add the Farfalle pasta to the boiling water and cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes. Get a large pan (best if pan has high sides), and add 3 tbsp of olive oil. After about a minute or so, the oil should be hot, add the garlic and sauté on medium heat for just a couple of minutes. Next, add 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour to the garlic and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook the flour for 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Once the flour has absorbed all of the oil and it has turned into a paste like texture add 1/2 cup of milk. Stir with the wooden spoon or a whisk (careful not to scratch the pan). After about 1 minute add another 1/2 cup and continue whisking/stirring, continue the process until only 1/2 cup of milk remains. The sauce should be thick and smooth, without any lumps, just some small bits of garlic. If the sauce is too thick, add the last 1/2 cup, if it is to your liking, it is time to season! Turn the heat down to low and add salt, ground black pepper, and just a bit of nutmeg (optional) and stir. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. If some of the pasta water carries over that is just fine! No need to drain the pasta, simply use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta directly into the sauce. Stir and let it hang out on low heat for just a minute. |
3 Done | Bring it all TogetherBy now the roasted broccolini should be done. Remove from the oven and add directly into the pan with the pasta (minus the lemon wedges), or cut into bite size pieces first. Next, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Lastly, squeeze the roasted lemon wedges over the pasta and add the nutritional yeast and/or the red pepper flakes for a hint of cheesy and spicy! |
