Vegan Cajun Pasta
Author: 
Recipe type: Vegan
Cuisine: Pasta
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3-4
 
Our vegan cajun pasta with blackened 'chikn' and blistered tomatoes is the perfect balance of creamy, savory, smoky perfection! This dish is sure to be a household favorite!
Ingredients
  • 1 LB pasta of choice, such as Fettuccine
Creamy Cajun Sauce
  • 2 cups raw cashews
  • 1 ½ - 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or any unsweetened non-dairy milk)
  • 1 cup vegan parmesan cheese shreds, such as Follow Your Heart
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 teaspoons cajun seasoning, such a Slap Ya Mama (mild or spicy)
  • ¼ teaspoon vegan chicken bouillon or ½ bouillon cube, such as Better Than Bouillon or Edward and Sons Not Chickn Cubes
Blackened "Chickn"
  • 10 oz vegan chicken, such as Gardein or Morning Star
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons avocado oil
Caramelized Onions, Peppers, and Blistered Tomatoes
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh chopped chives, for garnish
  • Additional vegan parmesan, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
  2. Cook Pasta noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside
Creamy Cajun Sauce
  1. Quick soak the cashews in very hot water for 25-30 minutes. Drain and rinse.
  2. To a blender, add cashews, 1 ½ cups milk, vegan parmesan, garlic, seasonings, and bouillon. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. If you find sauce to be too thick, add the other ½ cup milk and blend another 30 seconds. Set Aside.
Blackened 'Chickn"
  1. In small bowl mix together all the seasonings (except the oil), and mix with a fork to combine.
  2. Place vegan chicken strips in a large bowl and gently toss in 2 teaspoons avocado oil with your hands, ensuring all the chicken is lightly coated with oil. Add seasoning mix and toss gently again with hands, ensuring all the chicken pieces are coated with seasoning.
  3. In a large oven safe, non-stick pan or cast iron skillet on high heat, add seasoned chicken and sear on each side until blackened, about 3-5 minutes. When all sides of the chicken are seared and blackened, put the pan in the preheated oven to keep warm.
Caramelized Onions, Peppers, and Blistered Tomatoes
  1. In a large pan on medium high heat, add avocado oil until it becomes hot and starts to separate from the pan. Add onions and stir to coat the onions with the oil, continuing to stir occasionally. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to saute until the onions caramelize, about 30 minutes. If the pan seems to get dry, add about 1-2 tablespoons of water and deglaze it by scraping up the brown bits (trust us, that’s the good stuff).
  2. Add yellow and red sliced peppers and saute, stirring occasionally, an additional 10-15 minutes. Place caramelized onions and peppers in an oven safe container and place in the oven with chicken.
  3. On medium high, heat the same pan that you cooked the onions and peppers in. Once hot, add tomatoes and cook until they sear and blister, about 5-7 minutes, tossing once or twice.
  4. When tomatoes are done, turn heat off and combine the noodles, sauce, vegan chicken, onions, and peppers. Toss well, ensuring all the noodles are coated with sauce. Garnish each plate with a few blistered tomatoes, fresh chives, and a sprinkle of additional vegan parmesan cheese.
  5. ENJOY!!
Recipe by Eat Figs, Not Pigs at https://www.eatfigsnotpigs.com/vegan-cajun-pasta/