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Creamy Harissa Pasta on a plate with a gold fork.
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Creamy Harissa Pasta (Vegan!)

This Creamy Harissa Pasta recipe is the perfect 30-minute weeknight dinner! It's packed with flavor, easy to make and is spicy, creamy and delicious. And this recipe only requires 9 ingredients and is completely vegan!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 432kcal
Author: Megan Calipari
Cost: $4

Equipment

  • 1 High Speed Blender
  • 1 12" Skillet with High Sides or a Large Braiser
  • 1 Large Pasta Pot
  • 1 Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup Raw Unsalted Cashews
  • ¾ Cup Boiling Water
  • 1 Pound Pasta of Choice I love rigatoni for this
  • 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Yellow Onion, ½ inch dice
  • 2 Medium Red Bell Peppers, ½ inch dice
  • 4 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced
  • ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
  • ½ Cup Harissa Sauce See Note
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • Salt and Black Pepper

Instructions

  • In the pitcher of a high speed blender, combine the cashews and ¾ cup of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes so the cashews soften.
    ½ Cup Raw Unsalted Cashews, ¾ Cup Boiling Water
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it well and cook the pasta according to package directions. When you drain the pasta, reserve about ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
    1 Pound Pasta of Choice
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil onions and bell pepper as well as ½ teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and have barely started to brown, about 10 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Medium Yellow Onion, ½ inch dice, 2 Medium Red Bell Peppers, ½ inch dice, 4 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced, Salt and Black Pepper
  • Use the spoon to push the vegetables to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste into the center. Cook, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. This gives the tomato paste more depth of flavor.
    ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
  • Turn the heat off and add the harissa and lemon juice. Use the wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
    ½ Cup Harissa Sauce, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • Do not drain the water from the cashews! Add the pepper and harissa mixture into the blender with the cashews and their water. Blend on high until completely smooth. Taste the sauce and add any additional salt and pepper you desire, here. Then, pour the sauce back into the pan.
  • Add the cooked pasta into the pan and gently sir it all together. Serve.

Notes

Harissa is spicy! My favorite is this one by Mina. Do not use a harissa powder for this recipe.
If you don't like spicy, grab this Mild Harissa by Mina. It still has big flavor, just less spice.
Use the largest pan you have. Big enough to toss all the pasta in with the sauce. I like to use a 5-Quart braiser.
I like to reheat any leftover pasta in a skillet with a little water to loosen the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 556mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1564IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg