9 Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes for Busy Nights
A collection of nine simple vegetarian pasta dishes, from creamy penne alla vodka to baked ziti, designed for quick weeknight cooking.
Late summer produce like cherry tomatoes can shine in easy vegetarian pasta recipes. These dishes are satisfying enough that you won't miss the meat, according to the source at Serious Eats.
Garlicky Spaghetti With Artichokes and Walnuts
Jarred artichoke hearts and toasted walnuts provide substance and texture. A base of minced garlic cooked slowly in olive oil builds flavor. Lemon juice and parsley add a bright finish.
Baked Ziti With Leeks, Swiss Chard, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
This baked ziti uses a creamy sauce made from vegetable broth and white wine, thickened with a roux and enriched with Gruyère cheese. Al dente ziti is combined with leeks, Swiss chard, and sun-dried tomatoes. The dish is topped with panko breadcrumbs seasoned with Parmigiano-Reggiano and lemon zest before baking.
Mexican-Inspired Mac and Cheese With Charred Salsa Verde
This rendition of mac and cheese incorporates charred salsa verde and a spicy breadcrumb topping for heat and smoky aroma. The recipe uses a blend of Parmigiano-Reggiano, fontina, and queso Oaxaca cheeses.
The Food Lab's No-Boil Baked Ziti offers a streamlined method. Noodles are soaked instead of parboiled while a sauce is assembled from ready-made marinara, ricotta, and heavy cream. The drained pasta is combined with the sauce and topped with mozzarella.
Penne With Melted-Vegetable Sauce
This recipe cooks vegetables and pasta in the same pot of boiling water. Potatoes are described as the non-negotiable backbone. Vegetables are cut into small pieces and cooked until very soft, then combined with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and starchy pasta water to form the sauce.
Penne alla vodka uses the spirit to add subtle heat and sharpness, which heightens tomato fruitiness and cuts through cream. The Serious Eats version uses both tomato paste and canned tomatoes for balance. The writer notes a personal preference for rigatoni over traditional penne.
Lasagna Alla Norma is a mash-up of eggplant parmigiana and pasta alla norma. Pre-salting and drying the eggplant before frying helps prevent sogginess. The sauce is kept simple to allow tomato flavor to shine.
Orecchiette with broccoli and toasted hazelnuts features seared broccoli for a smoky note in a creamy turmeric sauce. Toasted hazelnuts add crunch.
Pasta with butternut squash and sage brown butter relies on sweet squash, nutty brown butter, and crisp sage for rich fall flavor. It is finished with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
