Buttered Leek Pasta
Vegan Buttered Leek Pasta
This buttered leek pasta is packed with flavours, that work together to create a sweet but tangy sauce. The cream gives the sauce a little thickness (which can be altered if you prefer a thinner sauce), whilst the lemon juice provides the tang against the sweetness of the leeks. There is also a subtle cheese flavour in the sauce from the nutritional yeast, which is lovely with the leeks.
If you like to meal prep, this is perfect... the sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time, meaning the only part that needs cooking fresh is the pasta. As it can be made in just half an hour, this is also a great last-minute meal for when you need to throw something together; the sauce could even be used on it's own without the leeks for a quick pasta sauce.
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Can I use a different pasta?
Of course, you can use whichever pasta you'd prefer, or whatever you have in your cupboards. As there are slices of leek throughout the sauce, a larger pasta may be better suited than macaroni for example, but go with whatever you'd like!
Do I need to use cashew cream?
No, you can use another cream if you'd like, but I always use a homemade cashew cream as it's easy and you can decide the thickness of it. If you would like a thinner sauce, you can make a thinner cashew cream by adding more water. But if you're using a different cream, you can add a little water to the mixture when its in the pan to make it thinner.
Can I use other herbs and spices?
This sauce is creamy and with the nutritional yeast, quite 'cheesy'. The lemon is also prominent though the sauce, so the only 'spice' used is turmeric. This just means that you can taste the creaminess with the 'cheese' and lemon. If you wanted to include another spice, a small amount paprika could be a nice addition, or perhaps some herbs, like thyme.
Do I need any fancy equipment?
Nope! This meal is so easy, all you need is a chopping board and two pans... one for the pasta and one for the leeks and sauce.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yep. The leeks and sauce are cooked separately from the pasta, so these can be made up to a week before you want them, if it's stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This way, when you are having the meal, all you need to cook is the pasta and turn it through the sauce. Just be aware that it should all be eaten the day it's reheated, as it has already been cooked and stored in the fridge.
How do I store this buttered leek pasta?
This buttered leek pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can eat it cold or reheat it, just make sure that it's thoroughly reheated beforehand.
What goes into this buttered leek pasta?
Linguine - I prefer to use linguine, but you could use another pasta if you prefer.
Leeks - this is what the dish is all about!
Vegan Butter - the butter coats the leeks and is what they're fried in, giving them a little extra flavour.
Cashew Cream - this is the main ingredient in the sauce... I use homemade cashew cream, but you can use any plant-based cream you like.
Lemon Juice - this gives some sharpness to the sauce.
Nutritional Yeast - not only providing added nutrition to the sauce, nutritional yeast also provides a subtle cheese flavour, which is lovely against the lemon and sweetness of the leeks.
Garlic Granules - garlic needs to be in everything!
Turmeric - adding a little turmeric will not only colour the sauce, but will add warmth.
Black Pepper - a pinch of black pepper will boost the flavours in the dish.
Tomatoes - this just adds some extra freshness.
This buttered leek pasta is packed with flavours, that work together to create a sweet but tangy sauce. The cream gives the sauce a little thickness (which can be altered if you prefer a thinner sauce), whilst the lemon juice provides the tang against the sweetness of the leeks. There is also a subtle cheese flavour in the sauce from the nutritional yeast, which is lovely with the leeks.
If you like to meal prep, this is perfect... the sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time, meaning the only part that needs cooking fresh is the pasta. As it can be made in just half an hour, this is also a great last-minute meal for when you need to throw something together; the sauce could even be used on it's own without the leeks for a quick pasta sauce.
Vegan Buttered Leek Pasta
Total Time : 30 minutes
Preparation Time : 5 minutes
Cooking Time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4 servings
Ingredient
250g Linguine
3 Leeks, sliced (roughly 250g)
100g Dairy-Free Butter
250g Cashew Cream
Juice from 1 Lemon
4 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
2 tsp Garlic Granules
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Black Pepper, to taste
Tomatoes (to serve, optional)
Method
Start by preparing your leeks... remove the roots and dark green tops of your leeks, then cut the remaining leeks into slices, about 1 cm wide.
Place your sliced leeks in a pan with your butter and pop the pan on a medium heat. Once the butter has melted, stir the leeks around to cover them in the butter. Turn the heat down a little and allow the leeks to soften, for 10 minutes.
Once the leeks are cooked, in pan, cook the linguine per the packet instructions.
Whilst the linguine is cooking, add the cashew cream, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic granules, turmeric and black pepper to your leeks. Stir leeks with the sauce ingredients until it's all combined, and leave the pan on a low heat for 5 minutes to heat up the sauce.
Once the linguine is cooked, drain the water and then add it to the pan. Stir well to coat it in the sauce and distribute the leeks.
Once it's all combined, serve with some additional black pepper and tomatoes (optional)... and enjoy!
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