The carrot miso pasta is a combination of exceptional flavors that will surely charm you with its taste and creaminess.
The carrot miso dressing was a real and exceptional discovery. My love for healthy food is devoted and the discovery of miso meant that I could create something new to bring carrots to the table in a more refined way. For those who still do not know, miso is a very old condiment used to flavor soups, broths, and dressings. It is a paste of brown color that is very rich in enzymes, amino acids, and vegetable proteins.
Over the years I have experimented with many different ideas and variations of pasta dressings. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I really like my pasta creamy. I like to feel their silky texture that contrasts with the different adding such as fresh vegetables, sprouts, seeds, and toasted nuts. But what I’ve learned more, is that I love my pasta to be simply good yet healthy. This recipe of carrot miso pasta embodies everything I could ever want from a dish. It is light, healthy, creamy, and hearty. Without a shadow of a doubt, you will also become addicted to it, especially if you are looking for vegan recipes.
How to cook miso carrot sauce?
I have to admit one thing, until this recipe, I knew nothing about how freaking delicious vegan cuisine can be. The carrot-miso sauce has changed my perspective and the overall understanding of veganism in general. How can you get something THIS delicious out of simple carrots, cashews, and miso paste? How is it possible to get so much creaminess out of non-creamy ingredients? I don’t want to eat the ordinary mac & cheese, now I crave the vegan mac and cheese – the carrot miso pasta.
To transform simple ordinary ingredients into a fabulous bright sauce, you’ll need a saucepan and a hand-blended to smoothen out the texture.
For the sauce you will feed the following ingredients:
- carrots
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- cashews
- water
- miso paste
- salt & pepper
Peel and chop the onion and the garlic, then use a saucepan to sautee them in olive oil. In the meantime, peel and thinly slice the carrots. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the carrots to the pan to sautee for another 2 minutes. Then, pour in a cup of water, or just enough to reach the level of the carrots, and add 1/2 cup of cashews. Allow everything to simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
When the cooking time expires, put the softened carrots and the cashews along with the liquids in a blender. Add three teaspoons of the miso paste and pulse it. The consistency will be creamy, soft, and brightly orange. The miso sauce will balance the sweetness of the carrots and cashews. You can taste salt and pepper and adjust the taste if needed.
Now the carrot miso sauce is ready and we shall move on to the next step of the recipe – the parsley garlic mix.
How to make the parsley garlic dressing?
This refreshing and vivid-colored raw dressing can be paired for almost any dish. Honestly speaking, I couldn’t help myself and spread one tablespoon on a load of crispy bread and devoured it instantly, without regret. The dressing is so aromatic and well-rounded that I am sure it will make a great dressing for pasta or rice.
Ingredients for the parsley-garlic dressing:
- parsley
- dill
- cilantro (optional)
- garlic
- olive oil
- salt
The best part of it that is doesn’t involve any thermal cooking. Just wash the parsley, the dill, and the cilantro. Peel the garlic closed and put everything in a blender. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt then pulse. It is that simple to make a finger-licking spring-like green relish.
This dressing can be used for salads or roasted potatoes as well, as it has a rich taste of garlic and herbs. It is the representation of spring and freshness in the kitchen, then in the plate.
How to toast almond flakes?
Almond flakes are delicious but toasted almond flakes are heavenly delicious. You can skip this extra step for this recipe if you are in a hurry. However, if you like the nutty crunchiness indulging your taste buds, it’s worth taking 5 mins to toast some almond flakes.
You don’t need anything more than a frying pan; no greasy oil involved. Just heat the pan over a medium flame then add the flakes. Make sure you keep an eye on the pan and stir often because the flake are thin and they can get burnt very fast if left unsupervised. For even toasting, spread the almond flakes in one single layer. Once they are highly brown and golden, remove them from the frying pan. It is best to pour them on a separate plate, thus, to stop the cooking process. It is that easy to get sweet, flavorful, and crunchy toasted almonds.
You can, of course, toast the flakes in the oven, but I think it takes too much time. You shall first preheat the oven, then wait for the flakes to toast. The frying pan will reduce the cooking time in half.
How to cook pasta?
The best pasta for this carrot miso dressing is the one that will catch and retain the sauce. Therefore, I used the shells as they are the best at their job. For this recipe, cook the pasta only when the carrot miso sauce is ready, when the parsley-garlic dressing is done and when the flakes are toasted.
Cook the shells according to the package instructions. Always salt the water before adding in the pasta. The water must continue to boil for the entire cooking time. Remember to stir the pasta every 2-3 minutes to keep it from sticking.
Drain it when al dente and toss in the creamy carrot miso sauce.
How to make the carrot miso pasta?
As soon as the pasta is cooked and drained, add in the carrot miso dressing and stir to coat well each shell with the delicious orange-colored sauce. Add a bit of the pasta water or simple water if you find it too thick.
Put the coated carrot miso pasta on a plate, pour some of the parsley-garlic dressing, sprinkle with some crushed toasted flakes, and devour it.
Vegan Carrot Miso Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta shells
Carrot Miso Dressing
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 tsp miso paste
- 1 onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Parsley-Garlic Dressing
- 1 handfull parsley
- 1 handfull dill
- 1 handfull cilantro optional
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
Ornament
- 1/2 cup almonds
Instructions
Carrot Miso Dressing
- Peel and chop the onion and the garlic, then use a saucepan to sautee them in olive oil for 3 minutes
- Peel and thinly slice the carrots and add them to the pan to sautee for another 2 minutes
- Pour a cup of water into the saucepan, or just enough to reach the level of the carrots, and add 1/2 cup of cashews
- Allow everything to simmer on low heat for about 10-15 minutes
- Transfer the saucepan content to a blender. Add three teaspoons of the miso paste and pulse it
Parsley Garlic Dressing
- Wash the parsley, the dill, and the cilantro and put in a blender
- Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the blender
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt then mince
How to toast almond flakes
- Heat the pan over a medium flame then add the flakes
- Spread the almond flakes in one single layer
- Stir often until they are golden brown
- Remove them from the frying pan
How to make the carrot miso pasta
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions
- Pour in the carrot miso dressing and stir well
- Add some pasta water if needed
- Put the coated pasta on a plate, sprinkle with parsley-garlic dressing, and some toasted almonds
- Serve with pleasure
