Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake with Brussels Sprouts

The secret to this vegan pasta bake is a velvety, savory almond-miso sauce that creates a creamy coating for the veggies and pasta.

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze almondmilk.

Happy first week of spring! With summer on the horizon, at least in my still-Austin-based mindset, I really want to be making lighter and brighter food. But then I’m reminded that it still snowed here last week. Sooooo… a creamy pasta bake it is! This veggie-ful dish is hearty yet cheese-less – it won’t weigh you down, but it will fill you up!

Instead of a bunch of cheese and cream, I used my secret creamy blender sauce: almonds, Almond Breeze almondmilk, white miso paste, garlic, lemon juice for tang, and a bit of Dijon mustard for the depth you want in a pasta bake. Yes, if you’re a super fan, you may recognize many of these ingredients from the creamy miso pasta recipe in our cookbook… it’s a wonderful combo that I’ve adapted here to make a cozy baked version.

A quick note: I usually keep AlmondBreeze Unsweetened in my fridge at all times, so that’s what I used in this recipe, but their Almond Cashew blend would be deliciously nutty and creamy in this sauce as well.

Once the sauce is made, set it aside and cook your Brussels sprouts. Since the sauce doesn’t contain cream or cheese, it has to have a short bake time so that the sauce stays creamy in the oven. This is why I precook the Brussels sprouts – plus they’re always better with a little sear to bring out their flavor.

After the Brussels sprouts are decently browned, combine with the pasta and pour on the sauce. It will seem like a lot of sauce, but we want a creamy pasta bake, so sauce it up!

So saucy!

Once you have everything in the baking dish, you could technically top this pasta bake with a cup of melty mozzarella cheese or a healthy shaving of fresh Parmesan cheese. If you live with picky eaters you may want to go that route. If you’re like me, you’ll top it with a sprinkle of hemp seeds, panko bread crumbs, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Bake, then top with chives and/or tarragon.

Then… dig in!

Love creamy vegan pasta as much as I do? Try these shells with broccoli or this pumpkin penne.

5.0 from 12 reviews

Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake with Brussels Sprouts

 

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This creamy vegan pasta bake is a cozy, healthy dinner that's easy enough for a weeknight. Follow the recipe as written for a vegan meal, or, if you're not vegan, top with a little mozzarella cheese!

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Main dish

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

white miso sauce

• 1 cup raw slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoon white miso paste
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup Almond Breeze almondmilk Original Unsweetened
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

for the pasta

• 10 ounces shell pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
• 2 tablespoons white wine, or water, to deglaze the pan
• 2 scallions, sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

bread crumb topping

• 1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (chives, tarragon, or parsley)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and brush a 7x9-inch or similar size baking dish with olive oil.
2. Make the white miso sauce: In a high speed blender, combine the almonds, miso paste, garlic, Dijon mustard, almond milk, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and blend until smooth.
3. Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package, cooking until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together.
4. Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium/high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the wine, and stir to scrape up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the cooked pasta, the scallions, and the miso sauce to the pan. Stir to coat, then transfer to the baking dish. Top with the panko bread crumbs, hemp seeds, a few pinches of salt, cheese, if using, and drizzle the top with olive oil.
5. Bake, covered for 15 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are fully tender and the dish is just warmed through. This short cooking time will prevent the filling from drying out.
6. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the fresh herbs, and serve.

Notes

Note: if you're not vegan and want to bake this with cheese on top, sprinkle 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered until bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

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