Caramelised Onion & Mushroom Pasta, Kung Pao Pasta, and Roasted Garlic, Lemon & Chili Pasta! 3 really tasty pasta recipes you need to try out. Made with really simple and budget-friendly ingredients too!
Check out my recipe video below:
Kung Pao Pasta—the one word I can use to describe this is UMAMI. I had some with mushrooms and it was so good and satisfying!
Caramelised Onion & Mushroom Pasta—caramelised onions are probably the best way to cook onions. This pasta has a rich tomato base with some mushrooms too!
Roasted Garlic, Lemon & Chili Pasta—I love this blend roasted garlic and lemons. This oil-based pasta looks a bit plain BUT the roasted garlic are so flavourful and the lemon adds that extra tang to the pasta while also getting an extra kick of spice from the chili!
If you make any of these recipes, please tag me on my Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #thefoodietakesflight :)
Are you looking for more delicious, vegan recipes? Check out my Vegan Kitchen eBook, which contains over 95 recipes that are packed with flavour and made with simple and easily accessible ingredients! Two trees (instead of 1!) will be planted for every download of my eBook through non-profit organisation One Tree Planted.🌲
Kung Pao Pasta
Good for 2-3 servings
Ingredients 250g dry pasta of choice (I used linguine) 2 tbsp sesame oil or other oil, for cooking 1 small red onion, diced 1 small red bell pepper, diced 1 cup chopped mushrooms (I used king oyster mushrooms) plus more for topping, totally optional Chopped spring onions, for topping Sauce 1 1/4 cups water 5 tbsp brown sugar or other sugar, adjust according to desired sweetness 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp chinese black vinegar, adjust depending to desired taste* 2 tsp sriracha, adjust depending to desired spice 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp room temp. water, mixed into a slurry
Notes:
*feel free to sub with apple cider vinegar
Steps
Mix sauce ingredients together EXCEPT the cornstarch slurry. Set sauce aside.
Heat a pot of water. Once it boils, add in the pasta. Cook until chewy and then drain the water.
Heat a pan. Pan fry thinly sliced king ouster mushrooms, if using. Season with salt then set aside when cooked.
Add 2 tbsp sesame oil to the pan. Sauté onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms until cooked. Add in the sauce mix. Once the sauce boils, add in the cornstarch slurry. Mix and cook over medium heat until it thickens a bit. Add in the cooked pasta. Mix well and leave to cook for a few minutes until pasta has absorbed the sauce.
Garnish with some spring onions, if desired. Top with the pan-fried mushrooms, if using. Enjoy while hot!
Caramelised Onion, Garlic, and Mushroom Pasta
Good for 2-3 servings 250g dry spaghetti or pasta of choice 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste Dash of pepper 1/2 cup water (you can also use the pasta water!)
Chopped basil, for topping
Caramelised Onion & Mushroom Mixture
1/4 cup olive oil
8 onions (500g), I used a mix of red and white onions 3/4 tsp salt (1/4 tsp for the onions and 1/2 tsp is for the tomato mix) 6 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional) 200g mushrooms (I used fresh oyster mushrooms), feel free to use other mushrooms* 10 pitted olives, finely chopped 3 tbsp tomato paste** 1/4-1/2 cup water, for cooking
Notes
*You can use dried or canned mushrooms too!
*You can store leftover tomato paste in the freezer to prolong shelf life.
Steps
Boil a pot of water and then cook pasta until chewy. I like to cook the pasta that’s still a bit chewier r than al dente. Set aside.
Heat a large pan or pot. Once hot, add in the olive oil then lower heat. Add in the onions. Add 1/4 tsp salt to the onions. Mix well to coat with the oil. Leave onions to cook in the low heat for around 30 minutes. Mix around every 2-3 minutes. Pour some water once you see browning in the pan. This is also to help break down the onions.
Halfway through cooking, add in the garlic. Mix with the onions. Leave onions to cook for another 20-25 minutes or until caramelised.
While onions are cooking, chop the mushrooms into fall pieces. For the pitted black olives, chop them into very small pieces, or almost minced.
Add the mushrooms and chopped olives into the caramelised onions. Mix well and then add in the tomato paste, chilli flakes, and salt to taste. Mix until well-incorporated.
Add in the pasta to the tomato pasta and onion mixture. Pour 1/2 cup water or pasta water to the pasta. Mix well then leave to cook for the pasta to cook through and absorb some of the sauce.
Season pasta with 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste. Add a dash of pepper. Mix well and then garnish with some basil, if desired. Enjoy while hot!
Roasted Garlic, Lemon, and Chili Pasta
Good for 2-3 servings
Roasted Garlic 2 whole garlic, around 20-25 cloves total Pinch of salt Dash of pepper
Generous drizzle of olive oil
You’ll also need:
Oven-safe baking dish
A sheet of aluminium foil to cover the baking dish
250g dry spaghetti or pasta of choice
Around 1/4 cup olive oil
Zest and juice of one lemon, around 2.5 tbsp (my lemon was pretty small)
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp chili flakes (or less if you want it milder)
Handful of basil leaves, chopped (plus more for topping)
Pepper
Steps
Heat oven toaster to 350F. Feel free to use an oven too, but it may take longer to cook.
Peel garlic cloves and place in a oven-safe baking dish. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the garlic cloves. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil and mix together to coat the garlic with oil. Cover Leave garlic to roast. I cooked my garlic for around 35-40 minutes at 350F in an oven toaster, this may take longer in a conventional oven.
While the garlic is cooking, heat a pot of water. Cook pasta of choice until al dente then transfer to cook with the oil mixture.
Heat a pan, add in 1/4 cup olive oil and pinch of salt. Once hot, add in the roasted garlic. Add in chili flakes and half of chopped basil. Mix well and leave to cook over medium low heat for the flavours to infuse. Add in the cooked pasta and mix well into the oil mixture.
Add in the lemon juice, zest, and remaining basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy while hot!
