Indulge in a taste of Italy with this creamy vegan nduja pasta! Blended cannellini beans, vegan nduja paste and smoky grilled peppers create a luscious sauce bursting with flavor, and combined with gorgeously caramelized aubergine, it makes your dinner dreams come true. Perfect for a cost night in or a dinner with friends. It's an Italian classic with a vegan twist!
Ingredients
- 1 small aubergine, chopped into bite-size chunks
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 200 g penne or gnocchi
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tin cannellini beans, with their liquid
- 125 g grilled peppers
- 1 tbsp vegan nduja paste
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C (160C for fan ovens).
- Place the aubergine cubes into a cast-iron pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper, then toss to coat. Roast the aubergine in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until they are caramelised and tender.
- While the aubergine is roasting, bring a pot of water to a boil to cook your penne or gnocchi according to the package instructions and preserve roughly 250ml of the pasta water.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until it becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- In a blender, combine the cannellini beans (including their liquid), sautéed onion and garlic, grilled peppers, vegan nduja paste & 2 tbsp of the pasta water. Blend until you have a smooth and creamy sauce, adding more pasta water as needed until you get the desired creamy texture.
- Combine the cooked pasta with the creamy cannellini bean sauce then gently fold in the caramelised aubergine chunks.
- Serve the vegan nduja pasta hot and garnish with fresh basil leaves & vegan parmesan, if desired.