Spicy Vegan Pasta with Sausage

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 lb. rigatoni pasta

  with 2 cups reserved pasta water (after the pasta is cooked)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion

  chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 package vegan sausage

  casings removed and roughly chopped** (see notes for recommendations)
• 4 cloves garlic

  minced
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds

  crushed
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup white wine or vegetable broth
• 1 cup cashew cream

  from 3/4 cup raw cashews* (see notes)
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon salt
• red pepper flakes

  for topping

Instructions

• 1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook according
  to package directions. Drain, reserving 2 cups of starchy pasta water.
• 2 Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and
  celery and cook until very soft, about 10-15 minutes. Add the sausage and cook,
  breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and crispy.
• 3 Reduce heat to medium-low and add in the garlic, fennel seeds and tomato paste.
  Saute until the paste is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add in the wine (or
  broth) and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot to get the browned pieces of
  sausage that have stuck to the pain. Cook until reduced, about 4-5 minutes.
• 4 Add in the cashew cream, spinach and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Let simmer
  for 5 minutes and add in the salt to taste. I usually start with 1/2 teaspoon
  and then add in more as needed– note that adding in more pasta water will also
  add in more salt.
• 5 Add in the cooked pasta to the sauce and add a little reserved pasta water at a
  time, stirring to incorporate, adding as much pasta water as needed to let the
  sauce cling to the noodles. Stir in red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve.

Nutrition Info