Vegan Tuscan-Inspired Pasta Salad

Vegan Tuscan-Inspired Pasta Salad

9 Comments

This Tuscan-inspired pasta salad is summer’s best bud.

It’s packed with cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, red onion, black olives, vegan parmesan, and baby spinach. I’ve used bowtie/farfalle pasta, but you can use any short pasta that has nooks and crannies for the dressing and other ingredients to stick to. Think fusilli, rotini, penne. I also really recommend using fresh basil here because the flavor is unbeatable.

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You’ll need:

For the pasta salad:

  • Cooked pasta
  • Cannellini beans
  • Red onion
  • Sun-dried tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes
  • Baby spinach
  • Black olives
  • Vegan parmesan
  • Fresh basil

For the dressing:

  • Olive oil
  • White wine vinegar
  • Water
  • Dijon mustard
  • Agave or maple syrup
  • Garlic – fresh or dried minced
  • Oregano
  • Salt
  • Pepper

To make it:

Cook and drain your pasta, then toss with a bit of oil to prevent sticking. Set aside and allow to cool down a bit.

Combine all pasta salad ingredients in a large bowl.

For the dressing, pour all ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and give it a good shake. Pour over top of the salad and toss to combine. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. I find it’s even better the next day 😉

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Serving suggestions:

Occasions I like to make pasta salad for include: picnics, backyard BBQs, family get-togethers, and potlucks. More often than not, though, I’ll just make a big batch during the week so I have something to snack on or use as a side dish for days.

Here are some mains to try out alongside this tuscan pasta salad:

Vegan Jalapeño Burgers

Buffalo Cauliflower & Ranch Coleslaw Pretzel Hoagies

Buffalo Chickpea Pizzas

No Mayo Chickpea Salad

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Vegan Tuscan Pasta Salad

Vegan Tuscan-Inspired Pasta Salad

Hannah
This Tuscan-inspired pasta salad is summer’s best bud. It’s packed with cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, red onion, black olives, vegan parmesan, and baby spinach.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 10 oz farfalle pasta
  • 1 (15oz) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 large red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun dried tomatoes, in oil oil drained*
  • 1-2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 (6oz) can sliced black olives
  • 1/2 cup vegan parmesan shreds or feta
  • 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil chopped

Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar*
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp agave or maple syrup
  • 3 cloves minced garlic or dried garlic granules
  • 2 tsp dry oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, toss with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking, set aside, and allow to cool.
  • Add all dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid, and shake to combine.
  • Toss all ingredients and the dressing in a large bowl.
  • Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

*2 cups of sliced cherry tomatoes can be subbed for the sun-dried tomatoes
*Red wine vinegar or lemon juice can be used as a substitute for the white wine vinegar
Keyword bisque, pasta salad, tuscan pasta, tuscan pasta salad, vegan pasta salad, vegan tuscan pasta, vegan tuscan pasta salad

Garlic Scallion Noodles

3 Comments

These noodles come together in 15 minutes and are so easy. Feel free to add in extra veggies and/or protein of choice – some crispy tofu would be perfect.

I don’t know about you, but I definitely have wasted my fair share of green onions simply because I didn’t feel like prepping them. Now I try to make sure to wash and chop them all the same day or the day after purchase, then I put them in a reusable silicone bag in the freezer. That way I have green onions chopped and ready whenever I need them. Make sure you save the bulbs because you can replant them and have free onions!

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Ingredients:

  • 6oz spaghetti or ramen noodles, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 scallions/green onions, chopped (sauté white parts and reserve green for serving)
  • 1.5 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2-3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Crushed red pepper, to taste
  • Sesame seeds
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Instructions:

  1. Heat sesame oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Sauté onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes, then add the rice vinegar to loosen the brown bits up.
  2. Add the noodles to the pan. Mix together soy sauce (start with 2 tbsp) and sugar. Pour mixture over the noodles and stir to incorporate. Taste and add more soy sauce if needed.
  3. Serve topped with reserved green onions, crushed red pepper, and sesame seeds.

Notes:

Feel free to add in extra veggies and/or protein of choice! Some crispy tofu would be perfect.

Lemony Garlic And White Wine Spaghetti

1 Comment

Words I love to see in a recipe: garlic, lemon, butter, wine, pasta.

Make this vegan lemony garlic and white wine spaghetti in the time it takes to boil some noods and have a glass of wine. Seriously, it takes 15 minutes. You’ll need lots of garlic, a lemon, crushed red pepper, vegan butter, white wine, vegan parmesan, herbs, and some noodles (don’t pour out the pasta water).

If you like lemon and garlic, this one’s for you. If you’re not a mega fan like me, then feel free to scale back on the amount of lemon juice and cloves of garlic.

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What you’ll need:

  • Spaghetti noodles
  • Vegan butter
  • Lots of garlic
  • Crushed red pepper
  • A lemon
  • White wine
  • Vegan parmesan
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Fresh herbs like thyme or parsley
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Cooking tips for this recipe:

  • Prepare ingredients in advance. This pasta comes together very quickly, so I find it easiest to have everything ready before I start.
  • Make sure to salt your pasta water! It adds so much more flavor to the noodles.
  • Cook your pasta al dente. You’ll be adding the noodles to the sauce while it’s still hot, so you don’t want it to overcook.

Serving ideas:

  • Prepare a simple green salad with seasonal veggies and a lemony dressing.
  • Pour a glass of wine and call it a day!

Other pasta recipes to try:

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Lemony Garlic And White Wine Spaghetti (Vegan)

Hannah
Words I love to see in a recipe: garlic, lemon, butter, wine, pasta. Make this vegan lemony garlic and white wine spaghetti in the time it takes to boil some noodles and have a glass of wine. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz thick or regular spaghetti reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water
  • 4 tbsp vegan butter
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper scale back to 1/4 tsp or omit if you're sensitive to spice
  • 1 lemon, juiced and zested about 1/4 cup
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup grated vegan parmesan plus more for serving
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • fresh herbs like thyme or basil

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta just under al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
  • Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat.
  • Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  • Pour in lemon juice and white wine. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
  • Remove from heat and add in cooked pasta, lemon zest, parmesan, and herbs. Toss to coat, gradually adding a bit of the pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce (you likely won’t need the full 1/2 cup).
  • Give it a try and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Serve with extra parmesan. Enjoy!

Notes

Low-sodium vegetable broth can be used in place of white wine if desired.
Keyword easy, lemon garlic pasta, lemon garlic spaghetti, pasta, vegan pasta

Buffalo Chickpea Pita Pizzas

2 Comments

We love a double chickpea recipe. This one’s got roasted chickpeas AND buffalo hummus.

These crispy buffalo chickpea pita pizzas are SO fun to make and eat. Grab some hummus and pita bread, whip them up in 30 minutes, and top with red onion, celery, a drizzle of ranch, and greens.

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Pita pizzas are basically the savior of work from home lunch. I know so many people this year feel like they are just constantly making food, then cleaning the kitchen, making food, then cleaning. Pita pizzas create little mess in the kitchen and are easy to mix up. You can make BBQ pita pizzas, margherita pita pizzas, taco pita pizzas, cheeseburger pita pizzas. Now say pita pizzas 5 times fast.

What you’ll need:

  • a can of chickpeas
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • paprika
  • salt
  • cayenne pepper
  • a drizzle of olive oil
  • plain hummus
  • hot sauce
  • pita bread
  • red onion
  • celery
  • vegan ranch
  • and some greens!
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What to do:

Preheat your oven to 375F. Then, on a lined baking sheet, toss chickpeas with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway. (PS – the chickpeas are going to get crispier on the pita pizzas later)

While the chickpeas are in the oven, mix together hummus and hot sauce to make buffalo hummus. Go ahead and chop your onion and celery, too.

Remove the chickpeas from oven. Place pitas on a baking sheet and spread with buffalo hummus, then top with the roasted chickpeas and red onion. Bake (again at 375F) for 10 minutes, broiling for the last 2 minutes or so.

Remove the pita pizzas from the oven and top with celery, ranch, extra hot sauce if you want, and greens. Enjoy!

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Buffalo Chickpea Pita Pizzas

Buffalo Chickpea Pita Pizzas

Hannah
These crispy buffalo chickpea pita pizzas are SO fun to make and eat. Grab some hummus and pita bread, whip them up in 30 minutes, and top with red onion, celery, a drizzle of ranch, and greens.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 pitas

Ingredients
  

Chickpeas

  • 1 (15oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper to taste
  • a drizzle of olive oil

Buffalo Hummus

  • 1/2 cup plain hummus
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce* to taste

Everything Else:

  • 4 pieces pita bread
  • 1/4 red onion chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • vegan ranch dressing
  • extra hot sauce
  • greens (microgreens, cilantro, arugula, etc.)*

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375F
  • Toss chickpea ingredients on a lined baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, stirring halfway. They’re going to get crispier on the pizzas later.
  • While the chickpeas are in the oven, mix together hummus and hot sauce to make buffalo hummus. Chop your onion and celery.
  • Remove chickpeas from oven. Place pitas on a baking sheet and spread with buffalo hummus, then top with chickpeas and red onion. Bake (again at 375F) for 10 minutes, broiling for the last 2 minutes.
  • Remove pitas from the oven and top with celery, ranch, extra hot sauce, and greens.

Notes

*For the hot sauce, I used Frank’s Red Hot
*For the greens, I used micro cilantro because I received it in a PR package, but you can use whatever you’d like.
Keyword buffalo pizza, pita pizza, pizza
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Vegan Jalapeño Burgers

3 Comments

Here’s how I level up a package of vegan ground beef! Jalapeño, garlic, onion, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and lots of fresh ground pepper make these juicy plant-based burgers. I opted to melt some vegan pepper jack over top and toss on some pickled jalapeños, but you can top however you see fit.

PS: These freeze well, so we like making a large batch to thaw out whenever we’re craving burgers.

PPS: I got this vegan pepper jack nice and melty with the help of a mini melting dome, which is a game changer!

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You’ll need:

  • Vegan ground beef, such as Beyond or Impossible
  • A jalapeño
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Burger buns
  • Vegan cheese slices – I like pepper jack or cheddar here
  • Pickled jalapeños
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Serving suggestions:

I’ve topped the burgers in the photos with melty vegan pepper jack (Miyoko’s) and pickled jalapeños. Some of my other favorite topping combos for these patties are:

  • BBQ sauce, pickles, and coleslaw (made with vegan mayo, of course)
  • Classic cheddar, red onion, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and mustard
  • Guacamole or avocado slices, pickled red onion, and corn salsa

These juicy, vegan burgers make a delicious companion to roasted veggies, homemade fries, and a number of salads. Some of my favorite salads to serve with them are:

A zingy Vegan Caesar Salad

My Tuscan-Inspired Vegan Pasta Salad

Or this Lemony Chickpea and Cucumber Salad with Dill

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Vegan Jalapeno Burger

Vegan Jalapeño Burgers

Hannah
Here’s how I level up a package of vegan ground beef! Jalapeño, garlic, onion, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and lots of fresh ground pepper make these juicy plant-based burgers.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 burgers

Ingredients
  

For the patties:

  • 1 package vegan ground beef such as Beyond
  • 1 jalapeño pepper minced, and seeded if desired
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup finely diced onion
  • 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce*
  • fresh ground pepper several cracks of

For serving:

  • burger buns
  • vegan cheese slices such as pepper jack or cheddar
  • pickled jalapeños

Instructions
 

  • Mix together vegan ground beef, minced jalapeño, garlic, onion, worcestershire sauce, and pepper in a large bowl. Form into patties (you should get 4-6 depending on how large you make them)
  • Heat an oiled pan over medium-high, and cook burgers 4-5 minutes per side. In the last couple minutes of cooking, add vegan cheese slices to the tops of the patties.*
  • Serve on a toasted bun with pickled jalapeños and any condiments you'd like.

Notes

*I use Annie’s vegan Worcestershire sauce. If you can’t find any, try substituting 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar instead.
*To get the vegan cheese nice and melty, I used a melting dome.
Keyword jalapeno burger, plant based burger, vegan burger, vegan jalapeno burger

Vegan Mac & Beer Cheese Bites

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It’s almost finger food and funny commercial day! Also I hear there are sports involved. Whether you’re here for the snacks or the football, you’ve gotta make some fun food! Personally, I think no Super Bowl is complete with two things: cheese and beer. Thus, vegan mac & beer cheese bites! These bites definitely make enough to serve a crowd, or for you to have leftovers all to yourself (what I’ll be doing on account of covid).

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Makes about 48 bites. Spread out to two mini muffin tins or bake a second batch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) box cooked elbow pasta, minus 1 cup
  • 1 cup soaked cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon powder
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 cup beer (lager)
  • Grated vegan cheddar cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
  2. Add all ingredients except for beer to a blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Pour the cheese sauce into a saucepan with the beer, and heat over medium-low until thick and bubbly (5-10 minutes). Taste and season with more salt if needed. Stir the pasta noodles into the sauce.
  4. Lightly oil a mini muffin tin and spoon the mac and cheese into each hole. Pack the mac and cheese down tightly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle some grated vegan cheddar cheese over the tops. Don’t skip this step because the cheddar shreds help keep the tops of the “muffins” together.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before gently removing each bite with a butter knife or the handle of a spoon. Repeat until all the mac and cheese is gone and you’re left with lots of mac and cheese bites.
  6. Serve alone or with a sauce like marinara or ketchup, and enjoy!

Lemony Chickpea & Cucumber Salad with Dill

3 Comments

This vegan cucumber salad is the perfect summer side! It’s packed with crunchy veggies, hearty chickpeas, lots of fresh dill, and a tangy dressing.

If there’s one thing I could eat every day, it’d probably be this. That and curly fries. Or guac. Or pasta. The cucumber and red onion are crunchy, the dressing is fresh and tangy, and it all just makes for a really refreshing side dish. Also, bonus points for using up a decent amount of dill! I always find myself with a ton during the spring and summer.

Assembled vegan cucumber salad with chickpeas, tomatoes, and dill.
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What’s in This Vegan Cucumber Salad?

  • Cucumber – Regular, English, or Persian. Thinly sliced.
  • Onion – Red is best for this salad, in my opinion!
  • Tomatoes – I used cherry tomatoes, but if you’ve got a big beautiful summer tomato feel free to use that.
  • Cooked chickpeas – A 15oz can.
  • Olive oil – Use a better quality kind since its flavor will play a part in the dressing.
  • Garlic – Fresh or the freeze-dried kind.
  • Lemon juice
  • Mustard – Something grainy! I use stone ground mustard.
  • Sweetener – I use maple syrup or agave.
  • Dill – Fresh!
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

How Do I Make Vegan Cucumber and Chickpea Salad?

  1. Prep your veggies – slice the cucumber and onion, chop the tomatoes, etc.
  2. Drain and rinse your chickpeas.
  3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl, then add the chopped veggies and toss it all together.
  4. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving so the flavors can become even more delicious.
A close up of ingredients for the vegan cucumber salad with chickpeas, lemon, red onion, tomatoes, and dill dressing.
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What Kind of Cucumbers Should I Use For Cucumber Salad?

I used regular cucumbers for the images here, but I usually prefer to use English cucumbers. They’re a bit sweeter and have fewer seeds, so I don’t even bother removing the seeds when using them. Persian cucumbers also work well, but they are smaller so you’ll probably want to use 3 or 4.

Tips for Making Vegan Cucumber Salad

  • Like I mentioned above – make sure you allow this salad to chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving! It gives the garlic, dill, and lemon more time to develop their flavors and really pop.
  • You can use dried dill in a pinch, but I really recommend using fresh for the best flavor.
  • You can use a mandolin to slice the cucumber if you prefer that over a knife.
  • For the freshest flavor, I recommend eating this salad within 3 or 4 days. It will last for a up to a week in the fridge, though.

What to Serve With Cucumber Salad

This salad is also very meal prep worthy! I make it at the start of the week and use it as a side with dinner, throw it in wraps or pitas, top some hummus toast with it, or just eat it by the spoonful straight out of the bowl. It’s also the perfect vegan side to bring to a barbecue, potluck, or other summer event.

A serving idea for vegan cucumber salad: cucumber, chickpea, tomato, and dill salad on toast with hummus and freshly ground black pepper.
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Lemony Chickpea & Cucumber Salad with Dill

Lemony Chickpea & Cucumber Salad with Dill

Hannah
The perfect summer side! This easy salad is packed with crunchy veggies, hearty chickpeas, lots of fresh dill, and a tangy dressing.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large cucumber seeds removed, sliced into half moons
  • 1 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 pint/container cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1-2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice from one whole lemon
  • 1 tbsp stone ground mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or agave
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, and chickpeas. Set aside.
  • Whisk together dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl. Pour in the veggies and chickpeas.
  • Toss to combine, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Keyword chickpea salad, cucumber chickpea salad, cucumber salad
A pin image of vegan lemony chickpea and cucumber salad with tomatoes and dill.

Green Sandwich with Vegan Pesto Cream Cheese

1 Comment

Making this pesto cream cheese is as simple as locating your favorite brands of non-dairy cream cheese and vegan pesto. Yep, most pestos aren’t vegan (or even vegetarian) due to the inclusion of parmesan cheese. Authentic parmesan cheese is made with animal rennet, an enzyme that’s found in the lining of a goat or calf’s stomach… But it’s easy to find a great vegan pesto at a variety of stores, or you could always make your own if you find yourself with lots of basil and a bit of time.

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Not sure which non-dairy cream cheese to buy? I’ve tried a bunch over the years, and am always here with the recommendations! Since you’re mixing it with pesto, you can get away with a cream cheese that’s good but not your favorite. Ultimately, you just have to explore a bit with vegan options to find what you like! Hate one brand? Try another next time it’s on sale, or mix up how you’re serving it. If you have been eating dairy cream cheese on plain bagels your entire life, it’s going to be a bit hard to find a vegan cream cheese that replaces that experience 1:1 at first. Try it on a bagel sandwich with lots of fresh herbs, capers, veggies, red onion, vegan deli slices, carrot lox if you’re feeling adventurous, or whatever tickles your fancy. Or, duh, mix it with pesto and make this!

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Ingredients:

  • Sliced bread
  • Non-dairy cream cheese
  • Vegan pesto
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Cucumber, sliced
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Arugula

Instructions:

  1. Toast your bread. While it’s toasting, whisk together equal parts cream cheese and pesto, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a few cracks of pepper. Adjust amounts depending on how many sandwiches you’re making.
  2. Spread pesto cream cheese on bread, top with veggies, and eat!

Vegan Roasted Garlic Aioli with Shoestring Parsnip Fries

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It’s parsnip season! If you’ve never cooked with parsnips, they’re very closely related to carrots. They have a sweet taste like carrots, but with an earthy nutty flavor.

I say aioli in a cheater’s sense, because this recipe uses prepared vegan mayo. Traditional aioli is made from egg yolks emulsified with olive oil.

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For the Roasted Garlic Aioli:

  • 1 small head of garlic
  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • A pinch of salt

Instructions:

  1. Cut the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves and place on a square of aluminum foil, drizzle lightly with olive oil. Wrap the foil tightly over the head of garlic, then roast in the oven at 400F for 30-40 minutes or until very soft.
  2. Allow it to cool and then remove the cloves (I squeeze them out) from the skins, and place them in a bowl. Mash into a paste with a fork and mix in with the vegan mayo, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and salt.
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For the Parsnip Fries:

  • 2-3 large parsnips, cut into shoestring pieces
  • Olive oil
  • Salt

Instructions:

  1. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the parsnips with olive oil and salt.
  2. Bake at 400F for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway

Vegan Garlic White Pizza Sauce

8 Comments

Mix up pizza night by making this vegan garlic white pizza sauce! It’s creamy, garlicky, and so easy to make. This pizza is topped with vegan sausage, artichoke hearts, vegan parmesan, and arugula.

What’s in this Vegan White Pizza Sauce?

White pizza is made without traditional tomato sauce, and is topped with white cheeses. This vegan white sauce is made with cashews, vegetable broth, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, vegan butter, flour, yellow onion, parsley, basil, freshly ground black pepper, and salt.

Ingredients for vegan garlic white pizza sauce.
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How Do I Make Vegan White Pizza Sauce?

This recipe is made by sautéing onion in vegan butter, then whisking in flour and cashew cream (raw cashews, vegetable broth, garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast) and simmering until thick and creamy. Chopped fresh parsley and basil are added at the end, along with black pepper and salt to taste.

Making vegan garlic white pizza sauce.

Which Toppings Go Well on White Pizza?

Some of my favorites include:

  • Artichoke hearts
  • Caramelized onions
  • Jalapeños
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Mushrooms
  • Arugula
  • Fresh basil
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Olives
  • Vegan mozzarella
  • Vegan parmesan
  • Vegan sausage
  • Vegan pepperoni
  • Cooked and crumbled tofu or tempeh
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Step-by-step topping instructions for vegan garlic white pizza.

What Should I Serve With Vegan Garlic White Pizza?

Close up of vegan garlic white pizza.
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Other Ways to Use This Sauce:

I know I titled this “pizza sauce” but this creamy white garlic sauce is delicious on pasta as well! Stir in some cooked pasta noodles and enjoy, or pop it in the oven for a vegan baked white mac and cheese. The below image is of personal-sized baked white mac and cheese, topped with toasted bread crumbs.

Vegan baked white mac and cheese

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked or boiled if you don’t have a high-powered blender)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Blend cashews, vegetable broth, garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast together until very smooth to make the cashew cream.
  2. Melt butter over medium/medium low heat in a medium saucepan, sauté onion for a few minutes until soft and translucent, whisk in flour.
  3. Slowly whisk in the cashew cream to avoid clumps. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until it’s thick and creamy. Stir in the parsley, basil, and black pepper. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
  4. Go forth and sauce!

Notes:

This recipe makes lots of sauce, so you might want to halve the recipe if you aren’t making multiple pizzas. The leftover sauce is amazing with pasta!

The featured pizza is topped with artichoke hearts, vegan sausage, vegan parmesan, and arugula.

Vegan garlic white pizza sauce

Vegan Garlic White Pizza Sauce (Pizza Bianca)

Hannah
Mix up pizza night by making this vegan garlic white pizza sauce! It's creamy, garlicky, and so easy to make. This pizza is topped with vegan sausage, artichoke hearts, vegan parmesan, and arugula.
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 pizzas

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup raw cashews softened*
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion minced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley optional
  • 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil optional

Instructions
 

  • Blend cashews, vegetable broth, garlic, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast together until very smooth to make the cashew cream.
  • Melt butter over medium/medium low heat in a medium saucepan, sauté onion for a few minutes until soft and translucent, whisk in flour.
  • Slowly whisk in the cashew cream to avoid clumps. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until it’s thick and creamy. Stir in the parsley, basil, and black pepper. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Top your pizza and bake as you normally would.

Notes

*To soften cashews, you can soak them in water overnight or in very hot water for 15 minutes.
This recipe makes lots of sauce, so you might want to halve the recipe if you aren’t making multiple pizzas. The leftover sauce is amazing with pasta!
Keyword easy vegan white pizza, vegan pizza bianca, vegan white pizza, vegan white pizza sauce, white pizza, white pizza sauce