This vegan protein pasta with beans and veggies in a creamy tomato sauce delivers 18 grams of protein per serving! It's a 30-minute, 1-pot meal.
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If you follow me on Instagram or TikTok, you probably know that I have been rollerskating my little face off lately! All of that skating means building muscle, so eating more protein has been a priority over the last few years. This high protein vegan pasta is one of my favorite easy, weeknight meals and is absolutely protein packed!
You start with protein pasta as the base. Choose any brand that you like the flavor and texture of, like red lentil pasta or chickpea pasta. I'm personally a fan of Barilla Protein+. It just has a great texture and is easy to find at the regular grocery store.
If you need to use gluten-free pasta, that's fine, as long as it's a high protein variety.
Then, we make a batch of my super easy vegan rose sauce, which uses cashews for dairy-free creaminess, boosting the protein even more. It's an incredibly delicious sauce with an amazing, creamy texture that you make in your blender!
Sauté some aromatics, then add the sauce to the pan along with some beans (more protein!) and spinach (or cooked vegetables of choice), then toss it all together for a simple meal that's packed with flavor and protein.
Love an easy, creamy pasta? Also check out my recipe for vegan Philly cheesesteak pasta!
✓ Ingredients and substitutions
- high protein vegan pasta - Choose a protein pasta that you like! I am a big fan of Barilla Protein+. I find the texture really great, and as of this writing, it's not too pricey.
- tomato sauce - You can use store-bought or homemade tomato sauce as the base for your vegan rose sauce. Just make sure it's free from dairy/milk ingredients.
- cashews - Soaked cashews make this sauce creamy!
- balsamic vinegar - For a little bit of sweetness and tang.
- ground spices - We are amping up the flavor of this sauce with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and crushed pepper flakes.
- oil - To sauté. You can broth fry for oil-free.
- aromatics - Onion and garlic add texture and flavor. You can omit to save time, and your vegan protein pasta will still be super delicious, but this really sends it over the top.
- white beans - Use any white beans you like. You can also use cooked brown lentils or chickpeas, if you prefer.
- frozen spinach - I just love adding a green veggie to my meals. You can use other veggies or omit, if you like.
- vegan Parmesan - You can use store-bought or make a homemade nut-based vegan Parmesan cheese, like my vegan fairy dust, for even MORE protein!
🔪 How to make vegan protein pasta
Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. Soak and drain your cashews, if you haven't already.
Add all of the sauce ingredients to your blender, and blend until completely smooth. You will probably have to do a few rounds of blending, where you blend for 30 seconds or so, then let the sauce sit for a minute before blending again. A high speed blender will work faster, but you can use a regular blender, too. Just be patient and do a couple more rounds of blending.
Heat a saucepan over medium high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion turns translucent.
Reduce the heat to medium, and transfer the sauce to the pan. Add the beans and spinach. Heat the sauce and simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to get hot, then remove the pan from the heat.
Add the pasta to the pan, tossing well to coat.
Dish this up topped with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan and fresh basil. For even more protein, I suggest using my homemade vegan parmesan, which is nut-based and adds even more protein!
💡 Helpful tips
- To make this in 30 minutes, you want to cook and drain your pasta and soak the cashews at the same time. Then, make the sauce in the blender while you sauté the aromatics. That way, everything will be ready to come together around the same time.
- You can skip the sautéed garlic and onion, if you want. I like the texture and flavor it adds, but this protein pasta is delicious with or without it!
- Make sure that you use a high protein vegan pasta in this recipe, and choose one that you like the texture of!
- Choose a pasta sauce that you like the flavor of, since it's a significant part of the base for this recipe.
- After soaking the cashews, drain the soaking water and use fresh water in the blender.
- If the onions and garlic are sticking, you can add small splashes of water to help them cook.
🫙 Storage directions
Leftover vegan protein pasta will keep for three to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
💬 Frequently asked questions
You don't! I never buy raw cashews anymore, because they're so expensive, and roasted cashews blend up nice and creamy, as long as you soak them in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes before blending.
There are so many ways to add plant-based protein to pasta! Start by using high protein pasta, so you are getting extra protein from the jump. Then add plant-based proteins like beans, crumbled and seasoned tofu, veggie grounds, vegan chicken substitute, etc. Top it off with a sprinkle of homemade vegan Parmesan, which is nut-based, adding even more protein!
Trick question! Many store-bought pastas are naturally vegan, including many high protein pastas. Occasionally, pasta will contain egg, so if you're not sure, just check the ingredients list.
📖 Recipe
🍝 Vegan Protein Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14.5 ounces high protein pasta
For the Sauce
- 15 ounces tomato sauce Make sure it doesn't contain milk ingredients.
- 1 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, then drained
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
To Add Later
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or use water or broth to cook the aromatics for oil-free
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 15 ounce can of white beans drained and rinsed
- 6 ounces frozen spinach
- vegan Parmesan for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.
Make the sauce.
- Soak and drain your cashews, if you haven't already.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to your blender, and blend until completely smooth. You will probably have to do a few rounds of blending, where you blend for 30 seconds or so, then let the sauce sit for a minute before blending again. Taste and add more seasoning, if you like, then blend and taste again.
Make the high protein pasta.
- Heat a saucepan over medium high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion turns translucent.
- Reduce the heat to medium, and transfer the sauce to the pan. Add the beans and spinach. Heat the sauce and simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to get hot, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the pasta to the pan, tossing well to coat. Serve topped with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan. For even more protein, I suggest using my homemade vegan parmesan, which is nut-based and adds even more protein!
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!