Chipotle Pasta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
A low-fat and whole food plant-based version of the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta from Cheesecake Factory. Nut-free and gluten-free.
Servings 4
Ingredients
Pasta and veggies
- 1 lb penne pasta (any kind, I used a green lentil penne)
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce
- 3 TBSP lemon juice
- 3 TBSP honey
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1-2 TBSP sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1.5 cups soy milk*
- 2 TBSP cornstarch
- 3 TBSP tahini
Add at the end
- 1 cup frozen peas
- cilantro, chopped
- tortilla chips (or air-fried corn tortilla strips)
- vegan parmesan cheese (such as those made from cashews or almond flour)
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water for the pasta, but blanche the asparagus first. Once boiling, add the asparagus and cook it for about 2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Remove with a slotted spoon into a colander and rinse with cold water.
- Boil the pasta 1 minute shy of package directions. Drain in the colander over the asparagus.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, saute onions and peppers with a splash of water until onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Turn off heat.
- Meanwhile, blend all the sauce ingredients together in a blender.
- Turn the heat of the skillet back on to medium, and pour the sauce over the onions and peppers. Cook and stir until sauce has thickened. Add the pasta and asparagus and stir all together. Stir in the frozen peas.
- Top with crushed tortilla chips and torn cilantro. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese if desired (I make some with almond flour, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder).
Notes
*For a creamier sauce, use 3/4 cup cashews and 1.5 cups water and OMIT the soy milk, cornstarch and tahini. Blend with the other sauce ingredients until completely smooth, then follow the directions as written.
