Summer vegetables and lentil pasta are nestled in a creamy vegan cheese sauce seasoned with mild spices – this quick and healthy dinner is sure to become a new favorite!
In the summer, I like to eat and serve as many fresh and colorful vegetables as possible. This Creamy Veggie Tex-Mex Pasta is chock-full of healthy and vibrant summer vegetables, including purple onion, sweet bell peppers, fresh zucchini, curly kale. grape tomatoes, freshly husked and shucked sweet corn, green onions, avocado, and cilantro.
It’s bursting with the colors of the rainbow! And your cells will thank you for giving them so many remarkable nutrients to absorb. As I’m sure you’ve guessed this by now, I simply adore summer produce!
And I admit that it brings me great pleasure to share that the red and yellow bell peppers, grape tomatoes, zucchini, and curly kale in this pasta dish and in these photos came from my little home garden.
I think it’s important to eat as many colors as often as possible. And this dish helps fuel my body with an array of fiber, protein, and antioxidants from wholesome earth-grown sources. Plus, this meal couldn’t be easier. Once you gather and chop the vegetables, they are sautéed in a large skillet and combined with lentil pasta and some mild seasonings.
I like to buy the Simply Nature Red Lentil Pasta at Aldi because it consists of one wholesome ingredient: red lentils. I don’t know how they do it; but it’s a healthy and delicious pasta that holds its shape and tastes great. Lots of lean plant protein with no additives or artificial ingredients.
Then, the mixture is topped with my Mighty Cheez Sauce to create an incredibly simple, yet creamy and satisfying pasta dish. The best part, the meal comes together in the time it takes to bring the water to a boil and cook the pasta. I like to garnish my pasta with chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, and cubed avocado. But you can serve it with anything you like.
And that’s all there is to it. Dinner is served! The colors and flavors bursting out of this pasta dish are a resounding testament that summer is in full swing and life is good.
I hope you enjoy this Creamy Veggie Tex-Mex Pasta as much as we do. Please leave a comment, rate it, and tag a picture #pebblesandtoast on Instagram! I’d love to see your results. Enjoy!!
Ingredients
- 10 ounces lentil or bean pasta*
- 1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 medium bell pepper (1 cup)**
- 1 zucchini, chopped (1-2 cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 2 cobs of fresh corn, shucked (1-2 cups)
- 1-2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- Juice of one lime
- 1 cup Mighty Cheez Sauce***
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- chopped cilantro, cubed avocado, sliced scallions (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with water, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the onions, peppers, zucchini, and garlic over low-medium heat, until tender-crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth, if needed, to keep from sticking.
- Add the kale, sweet corn, and tomatoes. Saute 5-6 minutes, until kale is wilted and tomatoes begin to break down.
- Stir in the Mighty Cheez Sauce, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings; then add in the pasta. Fold to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a little plant milk to ensure an evenly coated pasta.
- Continue to cook on low-medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, cubed avocado, and sliced scallions, if desired.
Notes
* I use lentil pasta, but you can use any kind of pasta you have on hand. Try a bean, lentil, or soy pasta to include plant-based protein.
** I use an assortment of bell peppers; but you can use any colored bell peppers, including poblanos or cubanelles.
*** Mighty Cheez Sauce recipe can be found at https://pebblesandtoast.com/mighty-cheez-sauce/
Creamy Veggie Tex-Mex Pasta
Equipment
- stove
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta*
- 1 small onion chopped (1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves minced (2 tsp)
- 1 medium bell pepper 1 cup**
- 1 zucchini chopped (1-2 cups)
- 2 cups kale chopped
- 2 cobs of sweet corn shucked (1-2 cups)
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- dash of crushed red pepper optional
- Juice of one lime
- 1 cup Mighty Cheez Sauce***
- chopped cilantro cubed avocado, sliced scallions (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with water, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the chopped onions, peppers, zucchini, and garlic over low-medium heat, until tender-crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth, if needed, to keep from sticking.
- Add the kale, sweet corn, and tomatoes. Sauté 5-6 minutes, until kale is wilted and tomatoes begin to break down.
- Stir in the Mighty Cheez Sauce, lime juice, and seasonings. Then add in the pasta and fold together gently to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add a little plant milk to ensure the pasta and veggies are evenly coated. Continue to cook on low-medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, cubed avocado, and sliced scallions, if desired.