Creamy Tahini Pasta (25-Minutes)
This creamy, vegan tahini pasta recipe is made with one of my favourite “cheesy” miso tahini sauces! It’s delicious, quick to make, and nutritious. Feel free to add extra veggies, like broccoli!
Looking for a deliciously creamy, but dairy-free pasta recipe? Whether you eat cream or not, this pasta with tahini sauce is going to hit the spot!! All you need are 7 simple ingredients and less than 30-minutes to throw together.
Tahini makes this pasta sauce recipe so perfectly smooth and creamy, and it gets its flavour from miso paste, garlic, and nutritional yeast for all that “cheesy” and umami goodness.
As a dietitian, tahini is one of my favourite pantry staples – it packs in so many nutrition benefits, like heart-healthy fats and minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium.
Feel free to add some extra veggies to this dish (I did sautéed broccoli) or an additional protein (like shrimp or chicken). Or, you can simply enjoy it on its own 🙂
Want more nutritious pasta recipes? Check out my roundup of 30+ easy, healthy pasta recipes for more inspiration!
Ingredients you need
All you need to make this tahini pasta are 7 simple ingredients:
- Pasta of choice: Feel free to use any pasta shape or type that you desire here! I used cavatappi in these photos, but you’re welcome to use longer shapes like spaghetti, too. If you’re gluten-free, simply choose a certified gluten-free pasta (this one is my favourite).
- Veggies of choice (optional): While you don’t need to include vegetables in this recipe, it’s a great opportunity to sneak some in. I personally used broccoli, but you could use other ones like mushrooms, spinach, eggplant, cauliflower, etc. – all of them will pair well!
- Tahini: Tahini is a paste made from toasted and ground sesame seeds, popular in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African cuisines. It has a nutty flavour and incredibly creamy texture which makes it the perfect base for a dairy-free pasta sauce!
- Miso paste: Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans. It adds a fantastic salty, umami flavour to so many recipes. It’s one of my personal flavour enhancers to use in my cooking! I typically go for a lighter-coloured variety, like a white or yellow miso, as they’re a bit milder in taste. Miso will usually be stored in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
- Nutritional yeast: This yellow-coloured yeast adds a delicious “cheesy” flavour and slight thickness to this pasta sauce, as well as plenty of B-vitamins. Please do not confuse it with traditional baker’s yeast – that will NOT taste good!!
- Garlic powder: I personally like the way garlic powder integrates smoothly into this sauce, but you could use fresh garlic cloves if needed.
- Hot water: Hot water is used to thin out the tahini pasta sauce. I like to boil some water in my kettle and add tablespoons from there! You could also take it straight from the tap, if preferred. I find that hot water helps to smooth things out better (particularly the miso paste) compared to using cold water.
Full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Pair this pasta with an additional protein!
While pasta, tahini, and nutritional yeast provide some plant-based protein, you are welcome to serve this with an additional protein source if desired.
Feel free to add in something like cooked shrimp or chicken pieces and stir it together with the pasta! You could also serve the pasta on the side of another protein dish, like baked salmon.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, perhaps you may enjoy some plant-based sausage in here OR you could use a higher protein pasta made from legumes (like chickpea pasta).
Step-by-step: how to make tahini pasta
Cook pasta of choice according to package directions. I used cavatappi, one of my favourite shapes 🙂
Cook vegetables of choice. I sautéed broccoli florets in a bit of olive oil for this recipe, but you are welcome to use something else like eggplant, spinach, or mushrooms!
Add tahini, nutritional yeast, miso paste, garlic powder, and hot water to a food processor.
Blend tahini pasta sauce ingredients together until smooth. You can gradually add more tablespoons of hot water until you reach your desired consistency.
Drain the pasta and return it to the same pot. Pour tahini sauce over top.
Add your cooked veggies to the pot of pasta as well.
Finally, toss everything together until all the pasta is coated in the tahini sauce. Feel free to add some salt and pepper as desired! Do note that the miso paste already adds some salt to this recipe, so you may not need quite as much as you usually do – I’d recommend tasting first 🙂
Food processor used to make the tahini sauce
Mini Food Processor
I love this mini food processor to make sauces in! It’s more affordable and takes up way less space than a full-sized food processor (although you can of course use one of those as well). An excellent option for smaller recipes!
No food processor? No problem! If you don’t have a food processor, you can whisk the sauce ingredients together in a bowl instead. It may not be quite as smooth, but still delicious! Be sure to use boiling water to help smooth things (particularly the miso paste) out.
Tahini nutrition benefits
Tahini is a source of:
- heart-healthy unsaturated fats
- plant-based protein, with a 2 tablespoon serving providing roughly 7 grams
- dietary fiber, with a 2 tablespoon serving providing about 3 grams or 12% of your daily needs
- essential minerals like:
- calcium (2 tablespoons provide about 12% of the daily value)
- iron (2 tablespoons provide about 14% of the DV)
- magnesium (2 tablespoons provide about 6% of the DV)
Want more ways to use up that jar of tahini? Checkout my roundup of recipes with tahini for more ideas!
More vegan pasta recipes:
- Tofu Tomato Pasta With Vegetables
- Sun-Dried Tomato Red Pesto Pasta
- Pasta With Vegan Cashew Cream Tomato Sauce
- Simple Carrot Pasta With Pistachios
- Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Cream Pasta
Did you give this Tahini Pasta Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Creamy Tahini Pasta (25-Minutes!)
Ingredients
- Approx. 8 ounces pasta of choice (enough for 4 people)
- 1 crown broccoli, cut into florets (or other veggie of choice)
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Tahini sauce:
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 Tbsp miso paste
- 6 Tbsp nutritional yeast (do NOT confuse with baker's yeast!)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- Approx. 6-8 Tbsp hot water
Instructions
- Bring pasta water to a boil.
- While waiting for the water to boil, make the pasta sauce. Add tahini, miso paste, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and 6 tablespoons of hot water to a food processor. Blend ingredients until smooth. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. If you'd prefer the sauce to be thinner, continue adding an extra tablespoon of water until desired consistency is reached (I personally use 8 Tbsps!) Set aside.
- Once water is boiling, cook pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta cooks, sauté your veggies of choice on a pan in a little bit of oil. I sautéed broccoli florets in olive oil for about 10 minutes, until they were browned and tender! Set aside.
- Drain cooked pasta and return it to the pot you cooked it in. Add both the pasta sauce and the cooked broccoli (or other vegetables) to the pot.
- Stir everything together well. Serve and season with black pepper. You can add salt if desired, but do note that the miso paste already has a salty taste!
Notes
- Feel free to use any pasta shape or type that you desire here! I used cavatappi in these photos, but you’re welcome to use longer shapes like spaghetti, too. If you’re gluten-free, simply choose a certified gluten-free pasta (this one is my favourite).
- While you don’t need to include vegetables in this recipe, it’s a great opportunity to sneak some more in. I personally used broccoli, but you could use other ones like mushrooms, spinach, eggplant, cauliflower, etc. – these will all pair well!
- Instead of garlic powder, you can use fresh garlic cloves as well. I’d aim for 1-2 large ones, depending on how garlicky you like things!
- Feel free to add in something like cooked shrimp or chicken pieces and stir it altogether with the pasta! You could also serve the pasta on the side of another protein dish, like baked salmon.
- If you’re vegan or vegetarian, perhaps you may enjoy some plant-based sausage in here OR you could use a higher protein pasta made from legumes (like chickpea pasta).
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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2 Comments on “Creamy Tahini Pasta (25-Minutes)”
Made this last night Carrie and it was to die for! So happy I have leftovers for lunch 🙂
Love that so much, Tia!! Thank you so much for the kind review. I hope that the leftovers hit the spot 🙂