I love pasta. I mean, who doesn’t? But I have really been trying to focus more on getting some extra veggies in my diet. These zucchini noodles hit the spot where pasta is concerned and have the most incredible and luscious creamy red pepper sauce on the planet. I mean, I’m drooling while I’m thinking about it. I mean… I could just stop typing this post, and go make some right now, but no! I must focus. I really want to share this recipe with the world, because it really could make this world a better place! It’s that good. Plus, it’s good for your body, which is a win win. No carb-loaded pasta bloat! Nope! Just a feeling of pure satisfaction and satiation. Yup!
Also- this recipe is easy. It comes together in one pot! (You also have to use a blender, a spiralizer, and a bowl for the zoodles, but hey! Not too many dishes baby!) I came up with this recipe in summertime, so I’m using a whole lot of summery ingredients! We’ve got zucchini (which is SO summery!), fire roasted bell peppers (I cheated and bought jarred. Lately it’s all about that ease. Mmmmhmm!), sweet onions, garlic, tomatoes, nutritional yeast, almond milk, some dried herbs and salt! That’s it!
Now, you can also use a some fresh bell peppers. I’ll add some additional notes at the bottom to reference if you’re wanting to go that route. Usually fresh is best, but I also have two kids. There is only so much time to cook when you’re so busy playing pretend all day! Thus, I used a jar of fire roasted bell peppers from Trader Joes, and they worked like a charm my loves!
Make this for your loved ones and they will thank you. Make this for yourself and give yourself a pat on the back, dear. Let me know what ya think in the comments! I would LOVE to hear from ya. And now, on with the recipe!
INGREDIENTS:
- 3-4 medium sized Zucchinis
- 1 12 oz jar of fire roasted bell peppers– drained (or 2 fresh *see notes below*)
- 1 Tbs. Olive Oil
- 2 medium sized tomatoes- quartered
- 12 cloves of garlic- roughly chopped
- 1/2 large sweet onion- roughly chopped
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 cup of Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tsp. salt
- Vegan Cheese topping (Optional!)
- Crushed Red Pepper for topping (Optional!)
Directions
- Wash those zucchinis, and cut off the ends. Grab your spiralizer, and get to work! I prefer to create the “thinner” spaghetti strands, but do what you like! If you don’t have a spiralizer, you could use a peeler and make long thin and wide noodles, or take a sharp knife and julienne cut them. Set the noodles off to the side. Any of these options will be delicious!
- Next roughly chop your garlic and onion. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You’re going to throw it in the blender!
- Heat 1 Tbs. of olive oil in a deep skillet to medium/ high heat. When the oil moves freely through the pan, add in the garlic first. Right when the garlic is getting barely golden on the corners add in the onion. Cook for about five minutes, until the onions are getting transparent.
- Add in the dried thyme, oregano, and basil. Stir it in and smell it’s sweet fragrance!
- Next, add in the tomatoes. Just big chunks works here. You can cut the tomato in to quarters or eighths. You’re going to cook them down pretty well- about five to ten minutes. You want this mix and cook it down to almost become like a tomato jam. They will become so savory and delicious!
- Turn off your stove, and get out your blender.
- To the blender, add in the fire roasted bell peppers (drained!). Add in your beautiful tomato jam from your skillet. Add in the salt, nutritional yeast, and unsweetened almond milk. Blend! Taste that delicious sauce. Just for a little appetizer!
- Heat that same skillet from before up to medium heat. Add in your spiralized zucchinis (or as some call them- zoodles!). Toss for about two minutes.
- Pour your amazing sauce into the skillet. Use some tongs to combine!
- Top with vegan cheese and crushed red pepper if you’d like. (You absolutely do not need this as the sauce is unbelievable delicious already!) I really enjoy Mykonos vegan mozzarella! Trader Joe’s vegan cheeses are pretty good too.
- Enjoy! Be happy! Be healthy!
Additional Notes:
As I mentioned above, you may want to use fresh bell peppers. In this case, I would take two red bell peppers, and place them over a direct flame until they are charred on all sides. You can also put them under the broiler in the oven until they are charred on all sides. After this place them in a bowl, and cover with a lid to the point where no steam is let out. Let them sit in there for about ten to fifteen minutes sweating in their own steam. After this, remove the lid, and when they are cool enough to handle, peel off as much blistered skin as you can. Remove the seeds, and you can use these bell peppers in place of the jarred ones. 
If you have any questions about ingredients, you can reference my “vegan essentials,” guide. All of the ingredients there can be found at your local grocery store.
Other recipes you may be interested in are my Eggplant Parmesan, my Creamy Bowtie Pasta, my Kale and Butternut Squash One Pot Pasta, or my Vegan Italian Wedding Soup. Enjoy folks.
Please leave a comment below if you have questions or any other words. I’d love to hear from ya!