Spicy vegan Cajun pasta is a fantastic weeknight meal that’s filled with flavour, fresh veggies, and protein-dense chickpeas. It’s ready in 35 minutes, or less if you prep in advance.
This Cajun dish did not disappoint. My taste testers happily went for seconds and practically licked their bowls!
While a tad on the spicy side for my little guys, you may reduce the Cajun seasoning for pickier eaters to make it kid-friendly.
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Ingredients + Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to make our delicious vegan Cajun pasta recipe.
- Pasta: I like this dish with penne, but another short shape also works. You may choose whole grain, chickpea pasta, rice pasta, quinoa pasta, or any other variety you like, including gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Veggies: Onion, mushrooms, and bell peppers are my choice of veggies. I like the mix of red and green pepper, but you may use any colour/s.
- Chickpeas: For added protein and heartiness.
- Tomato sauce: Adds a slight sweetness and acid to the sauce, and also gives it a pinkish hue.
- Broth: Choose a salty and flavourful broth. I like our homemade bouillon for this.
- Milk: Any non-dairy milk works here to add creaminess to the sauce, without using cream. I tried it with soy milk and cashew milk, and both work well.
- Cornstarch: To slightly thicken the sauce. You may also use arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, or another thickening agent of your choice.
- Spices: A homemade or store-bought Cajun seasoning blend is all you need.
Instructions
(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Start by bringing a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and cook your penne according to package directions for ‘al dente’ pasta. Drain and set it aside.
Add the sauce, milk, broth, cornstarch, and spice to a bowl or measuring cup. (photo 1)
Whisk until it is combined and evenly distributed, and then set it aside. (photo 2)
Add the vegetables to a pan with ¼ cup of water. (photo 3)
Then sauté, stirring often, until the peppers are tender-crisp. (photo 4)
Stir the chickpeas and sauce mixture into the pan and simmer to thicken. (photo 5)
Then turn off the heat, add the cooked pasta, and mix well. (photo 6)
Serve garnished with fresh parsley or cilantro, and enjoy.
Variations
- For a richer sauce, and only if you’re not concerned about adding extra fat, you may try canned coconut milk instead of soy milk.
- To add a hint of sweetness, mix in some frozen sweet corn.
- For extra spice, increase the cajun spice blend, or add some cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes.
- If you don’t have a Cajun seasoning blend, make your own using the following: 1 tablespoon of paprika (or smoked paprika), 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, ½ teaspoon each of sea salt, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper.
Equipment
To make the veggies and sauce, I use our 12-inch Xtrema Ceramic Versa pan (photographed above). I like a wide pan for this, and it fits well with the pasta once cooked.
Or, you may use another large pot or deep pan of your choice.
Storage
Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a sealed container. You may reheat them on the stovetop.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the pasta gets quite soft and the veggies will lose their texture.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water. Make sure to add enough salt to your pot of water for the best texture and flavour. Here's a handy guide to help you salt your water perfectly each time.
- Cook your pasta al dente. Do not overcook! Al dente means that the pasta is still firm once cooked, giving optimal texture in every bite. To ensure your pasta does not overcook, start taste testing a few minutes before the package says it will be ready. It should be tender, but still firm.
- Taste the sauce once cooked and add more Cajun seasoning if a spicier sauce is preferred, or add some salt and black pepper, if needed. (This will vary according to the broth you’ve used.)
More vegan pasta dishes
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Buon appetito
Rosa
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the vegan Cajun pasta
- ½ pound penne pasta
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 bell peppers any colour
- 8 ounce mushrooms halved or quartered
- 1.5 cups chickpeas cooked or canned (approx. 15 ounce can)
For the vegan Cajun pasta sauce
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup vegetable broth choose a salty/flavourful variety
- 1 cup soy milk or other dairy-free milk
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot, tapioca
For garnish (optional)
- fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Make sure to prep all your ingredients and chop your vegetables before you begin, since this dish moves along rather quickly.
- Cook your penne in a pot of generously salted water, according to the package directions for 'al dente' pasta. Drain and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup, and set it aside.
- Then, add the chopped onion, mushrooms, and peppers to a sauté pan with ¼ cup of water. Sauté over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until the veggies are tender, but do not overcook them. Then add the chickpeas and the sauce you just mixed in the previous step to the same pan. Mix well and let that simmer for 3-4 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce. (Taste the sauce and add more Cajun seasoning if needed, or some salt + pepper.)
- Now turn off the heat, and add the cooked penne to the same pan, and mix to evenly coat each piece. Serve with fresh parsley or cilantro and enjoy.
Notes
- Salt your pasta water. Make sure to add enough salt to your pot of water for the best texture and flavour. Here's a handy guide to help you salt your water perfectly each time.
- Cook your pasta al dente. Do not overcook! Al dente means that the pasta is still firm once cooked, giving optimal texture in every bite. To ensure your pasta does not overcook, start taste testing a few minutes before the package says it will be ready. It should be tender, but still firm.
- Taste the sauce once cooked and add more Cajun seasoning if a spicier sauce is preferred, or add some salt and black pepper, if needed. (This will vary according to the broth you’ve used.)
- I made this CAJUN SEASONING BLEND for this dish. Results and spice levels will vary according to the recipe or store-bought brand being used. Taste your blend to ensure the spice level is to your liking.
Nana says
Hubby loved it. Thanks for the heads up to have everything prepped. Great recipe to prep and throw together quickly. I used 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning but would reduce that to 1-1/2 tablespoons next time.
Rosa says
Yay, thrilled you enjoyed it! 🙂
in2insight says
Perhaps not all Cajun spice blends are created equal, as the one we used (Natural Grocers store brand) resulted in a dish that was way too spicy. We love spice and even after adding vegan sour cream to the dish, the heat level was above what we could handle. 🙁
My fault for not tasting the spice blend first.
What we could taste behind the heat seemed yummy.
Maybe add a suggestion to test out the spice blend first and adjust as needed?
Rosa says
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ve added a note about the spice blend I used with a link to the recipe. 🙂
Lucie CK says
Just got this in my email this morning and was inspired to make it for lunch. I subbed veggies for what I have in the fridge, and made the Cajun spice following your instructions. Your recipes are so simple to follow, you make me feel like a great cook! Thanks for all your amazing recipes.
Rosa says
Thrilled you enjoyed it Lucie! 🙂