Creamy Vegan Artichoke Miso Pasta is loaded with umami, healthy, and high in protein. A quick and easy recipe. Budget-friendly ingredients with an option for oil-free.
I took a traditional spinach artichoke dip, turned it on its head, and created a most delicious vegan pasta.
This nondairy vegan cashew cheese sauce is so creamy and delicious, you won't miss the dairy! Artichoke hearts and miso give this pasta a unique twist, and pack in umami flavor. The roasted chickpea croutons balance the dish with plant-based protein.
This was inspired by Miso Butter Corn & Tomato Pasta on this site, as well as my Vegan Pasta Bake with Mushrooms, both loaded with umami.
Jump to:
👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
The ingredients for making Creamy Vegan Artichoke Miso Pasta are budget-friendly, except for maybe the cashews. It's best to buy these from the bulk section in your supermarket. These are much cheaper than the prepackaged options.
- Pasta
- Chickpeas
- Olive oil or lemon juice
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Ground mustard seed
- Raw cashews
- Mellow miso
- Garlic
- Onion powder
- Lemon zest and juice
- Unsweetened nondairy milk
- Jarred marinated artichoke hearts
- Baby spinach
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Instructions
Chickpeas
This recipe for Creamy Vegan Artichoke Miso Pasta is very easy to whip up.
Cook the pasta according to the packet directions and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
For crispier chickpeas, dry them beforehand between the layers of a kitchen or paper towel. You can remove the skins at this time as desired. If you are pressed for time, you can skip this step. The recipe will still work perfectly, but the chickpeas won't be quite as crispy.
For oil-free, you can replace the olive oil with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
I like to broil the chickpeas for about 2 minutes after roasting to get them extra crispy!
Cashew Miso Sauce
If you do not own a powerful high speed blender, it's best to soak the raw cashews overnight. If you forget (like I often do!), use the quick soak method. See frequently asked questions below for quick soak instructions.
Dissolve the miso in water before adding it to the blender. Miso does not blend well and you don't want to end up with chunks of miso in your sauce!
Use an unsweetened nondairy milk of your choice. My preferred types are oat and soy. Both add a creamier texture to the sauce, and are nutritious.
Transfer the blended sauce to a large nonstick sauté pan or skillet.
Use marinated artichoke hearts if you are able to find them. They are much more flavorful.
Warm the sauce over low-heat, and be sure to stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Serve immediately. Top with the roasted chickpeas for serving.
🥬 Substitutions & Variations
- Dip - To turn this dish into a dip - skip the pasta and bake the sauce with the spinach and artichoke hearts, covered with foil in a medium casserole dish, for 25 minutes. Serve with toasted pita or crudités.
- Miso - use nutritional yeast instead in the same quantity, but don't dissolve in water
- Spinach - use regular spinach or kale instead of baby spinach as desired (make sure to destem and chop the leaves)
- Chickpeas - roasting the chickpeas is optional. Instead, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas directly to the sauce with the artichoke when warming. Or you can skip the chickpeas altogether.
See this Tahini Pasta with Brussels & Tempeh Bacon on my website for another creamy protein-rich pasta.
🔪 Equipment
Use a high speed blender for a creamier sauce. These types of blenders are best for nut sauces. If you don't have one, soak the cashews beforehand.
⏱ Storage
Refrigerate any remaining Creamy Vegan Artichoke Pasta in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Store the pasta and the sauce in two separate containers. Add water to the saucepan for reheating the sauce until the desired consistency.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
1. Soaking nuts improves your body's ability to absorb the nutrients. Nuts are very nutritious but contain nutritional inhibitors to protect those nutrients. Soaking nuts in water unlocks these nutrients.
2. They become softer and easier to blend, resulting in a smoother sauce.
3. It improves their flavor and texture, making them more buttery and creamy.
The harder the nut, the longer the soaking time. Almonds are best soaked overnight, where as cashews need only a few hours.
Place the nuts in a container spacious enough to hold them once they expand. Add room temperature water to cover. Rinse the nuts and seeds once they are done soaking.
For storing, place them in a paper towel in an airtight container and refrigerate for about 1 week. Rinse them daily and replace the paper towel.
If you forget to soak your nuts and seeds, use the quick soak method. Place them in a saucepan with water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 30 minutes.
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
Share your Creamy Vegan Artichoke Miso Pasta creation with me on Instagram. It makes my day to see you recreate my recipes.
I would love it if you would ⭐️ rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Artichoke Miso Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dry pasta
- 15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed
- Drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard seed
- Salt to taste
- 1 ¼ cups raw cashews soaked and drained
- 2 tablespoons white miso dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 small lemon juice and zest
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened nondairy milk
- 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts jarred or canned (quartered and marinated), diced
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Cook the pasta until al dente.
- Roast the chickpeas: Rub the chickpeas between the layers of a kitchen or paper towel to dry. Transfer to a medium rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, ground mustard seed, and salt to taste. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until crispy. (Optional: Broil for 2 minutes more for extra crispy.)
- Make the sauce: Transfer the cashews, dissolved miso, garlic, onion powder, lemon juice and zest, and nondairy milk to a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
- Combine and warm: Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach. Mix and heat until warmed through. Add water as needed until the desired consistency. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the desired amount of cooked pasta.
- For serving: Top with the roasted chickpeas.
Notes
- Substitute canned chickpeas for 1 ½ cups cooked.
- Roasting the chickpeas is optional. Instead, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas directly to the sauce with the artichoke when warming. Or you can skip the chickpeas altogether.
- Use canned or jarred marinated artichokes for more flavor.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Emily G
Truly one of the best recipes. You are the best doing it!
Nisha Melvani
So kind of you to say. Thank you so much. Happy New Year.
Amina
A recipe that has all my favourite things in it. Love the sweetness of the artichoke, the umami flavour of the miso and the earthiness of chickpeas. The spinach is a brilliant addition. I will make this over and over again. Love.