I'm on a quest for new dinner ideas. The criteria? I need more dinners that are faster than take out, satisfying (and delicious), and they absolutely NEED to use as few dishes as possible. I've gotta tell ya, I do not think counter-top dishwashers were made for recipe developers. I am so sick of doing dishes.
So today's recipe is going to check off everything on my list. Let's dig in!
This light & creamy vegan penne primavera is exactly the type of dinner I'm talking about. It's a satisfying pasta dish that's ready in 30 minutes (yes!), requires just 1 pan (not too many dishes!), and it has a twist (coconut!)
Al denté penne noodles, broccoli florets, peas, red bell pepper, sliced carrots, garlic, and green onion coated in a savoury coconut cream sauce. This is a great dinner to customize depending on your preferences and what you've got on hand. I think fresh asparagus, kale, or mushrooms would all be delicious substitutions or additions to this simple pasta dinner. Just in case you're wondering, no, the coconut is not overpowering. But if you're really not into coconut, you can absolutely make a "regular" penne primavera by subbing in your favourite unsweetened non-dairy milk and/or vegetable broth for about a ⅓ -½ of the coconut milk. Voilà!
There is a secret that makes this dinner extra quick and easy and it's my new favourite pasta, Barilla Pronto! I am all for those quick and easy tricks that make my kitchen life easier without compromising on taste. Barilla's new Pronto line is officially the coolest and newest trick in my kitchen. This pasta is cooked in 10 minutes TOTAL (no waiting for water to boil), requires no draining (saving on dishes!), is totally vegan, and it's made with the same ingredients as regular Barilla pasta. How cool is that? In Canada, Barilla Pronto is available in 4 varieties: rotini, penne, cut macaroni, and half-cut spaghetti (not shown below, sorry!) Seriously, I'm hooked on this stuff. Thank you Barilla for making my kitchen life easier!
Of course, this dish wouldn't be complete without heaps of cashew parm. Hopefully you've already got some on hand, if not, that's okay! Even if you do need to make a batch, this dinner will still be complete in 30 minutes. How's that for an easy vegan dinner?
This post is sponsored by Barilla Canada.
We love Barilla's Pronto line because it's quick and easy to prepare and totally vegan! For more info and recipes, check out barilla.ca! Thanks for supporting the brands that support I Love Vegan!
Vegan Coconut Penne Primavera
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta, Main Course
- Cuisine: Vegan
Description
Al denté penne noodles and sautéed veggies in a savoury coconut cream sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 box Barilla Pronto Penne, prepared according to package instructions
- 2 tbsp vegan butter (or olive/canola oil)
- 1 cup packed broccoli florets
- ½ cup sliced carrot
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ⅔ cup fresh or frozen peas
- ⅓ cup green onion, sliced
- pinch salt
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (¼ lemon)
- black pepper, to taste
- cashew parm, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare penne pasta according to box instructions. Do not rinse, set aside.
- In same pan heat vegan butter over medium-high heat. Sauté broccoli and carrots for 3 minutes before adding red bell pepper and garlic and sautéing for an additional 3 minutes. Add the peas and green onion and cook until vegetables are just tender.
- Whisk in the flour, garlic powder, onion powder and nutritional yeast. Cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in coconut milk and veggie broth and bring to a simmer (the sauce should thicken slightly.) Add cooked penne noodles, lemon juice, black pepper, and stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings to suit your preferences.
- Serve topped with cashew parmesan and black pepper.
Cheryl
I’m a newbie to plant based eating. This is a great recipe. I did not add the canned coconut milk because I didn’t have it on hand. It was still great. I’ve made it a few times and will make it again this evening. Thank you
★★★★★
Kathy Holden
We made this camping on the weekend for a mixed group of kids and adults who are not vegan. It was a hit. Next time I will add a little more seasoning, and my hubby would add something hot. Will definitely try it again. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Joseph Rocklin
Wow! My kids liked it! My wife liked it!! My in-laws liked it!!! The likes of this have infrequently been seen from my hand at cooking! Thank you for a great meal doable by a novice. I think we'll have many happy returns. Wishing you much continued success providing healthy, elegant meals that are easy.
Many thanks,
Joseph
★★★★★
Rebecca
I seriously have to thank you for sharing this recipe. I have six kids and I have never been a great cook. A few years ago I had a few good meals that everyone liked, then my kids pulled the rug out from under me, three of them became vegan. Now I struggle to cook anything that everyone likes. But this recipe was a win. Everyone, including my very picky little one, ate it happily. Thank you so so much 🙂
★★★★★
Courtney
Hi,
I saw that someone had asked about refrigerating this, but I'm wondering about doing this for a potluck. I would be using mostly frozen veggies, so I'm just wondering if reheating all of it for potluck will make the veggies mushy?
Erika
I just made this for my weekly family vegan day. My 10 year old and I loved it! Thanks so much for helping me convince my family that vegan is good.
Brittany
Thank YOU for sharing vegan food with your family!! I really appreciate your comment, thank you!! ♥
David
Half way through the recipe and I realise I don't know how much penne is in a box of Barilla Pronto Penne. I am in the UK so is there a dry weight of penne? Is this recioe for 4 persons?
★★★★★
Brittany
Hi David! I used Barilla's Pronto Penne, which is a 340g box. I hope that helps! The recipe makes 4-6 servings.
Shelley
Wow this was AMAZING. It’s recipes like this that make me wonder why we even use dairy. Thank you for helping me stay vegan strong
★★★★
Brittany
Hahaha, Thanks SO much Shelley, I totally agree! 🙂
Melissa
Thank you!! He tried a sample last night and could tell there was something in there but couldn't put his finger on it lol I'm not sure if I would need to add more nutritional yeast in order tic "mask" the coconut taste?
Thank you!! Have this for dinner and can't wait to try it!
Brittany
Haha, that's too bad! You could always use a mix of another non-dairy milk and coconut or just swap out the coconut all together. More nutritional yeast is never a bad thing! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Melissa
Hello again! I am wanting to make this for dinner but it will just be me eating it, my boyfriend doesn't like coconut. Would it be okay to make this and store the rest in the refrigerator to eat throughout the week?
Brittany
Hi! Yes, absolutely, this will be great in the fridge. You may find that you need to add a splash of water/non-dairy milk (and give it a good stir) when you reheat it if the sauce has thickened. (PS: Try it out though, it miiight not be too "coconut-ty" for your boyfriend too enjoy it too!)
NeverFullFoodie
Wow! I am not a vegan but I'm always into recipes that taste good, no matter what. This was healthy, light, and delicious!
I added some red pepper flakes, just because I love some spice. Love your site.
★★★★
Brittany
Yay! That's lovely to hear 😀 Red pepper flakes are a great addition too, love it! Thanks for commenting!
Jennie
This was delicious! Since we are gluten and dairy free but not completely vegan I subbed chicken stock for the veggie broth and added shrimp. The whole family loved it, especially my kiddos! Thank you for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Brittany
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting Jennie!
Maya
It was delicious. I added mushrooms as suggested. I also added a NOT chicken boullion cube with the liquids. My family loved it. Next time I might use a bit more flour. I like a thick sauce. Flavor combinations were perfect. Thank you.
Brittany
Thanks Maya! I'm so glad your family enjoyed it! 😀
Marian
I can't say I've ever really tried coconut before, but the pictures look so good. This is definitely a recipe I want to try!
Also, I just recently refound your website. I used to love looking at your grocery hauls on tumblr a couple of years ago. I love how your site has developed! 🙂
Marian
Brittany
Ah! Oh my goodness, that is SO cool Marian! THANK YOU!
Alecia
Promoting this recipe today! So good, although I did have to add a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken it a little. Thank you for a delicious vegan dinner.
★★★★★