Pasta alla Norma is one of those great classic Italian dishes that’s simple to make and satisfying to eat. With plenty of eggplant and peppers in a garlicky tomato sauce, it’s on the table pretty quickly, too. In the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta, the sauce is started and finished.
Be generous with the red pepper flakes if you like a little spice to your pasta dishes— they really give the flavor a boost. And make sure to see below for a super-easy way to make a vegan Parmesan topping, which is entirely optional, but makes a good dish even better.
What to serve with Pasta alla Norma: Complete the meal simply with a big, colorful salad of lettuce or spring mix, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and olives. Make sure to include chickpeas or another favorite bean for added protein.
Easiest Vegan Parmesan-Style Topping
Homemade vegan Parmesan is usually made with a combination of nutritional yeast plus ground cashews or almonds. [FYI, the main ingredients in packaged vegan Parmesan from two major brands are potato starch and palm fruit oil or coconut oil] This version is even easier.
An super-easy version: You don’t need a machine to make this one! Just two ingredients — almond flour (found in most natural foods stores) and nutritional yeast, fondly known as “nooch” — and you’ve got a great topping for pasta dishes like this one featuring spaghetti and zucchini noodles.
A tablespoon or two of this topping provides you with a nice dose of Vitamin B12 (from the nutritional yeast); almond flour is a great source of Vitamin E and calcium.
What to do: Simply combine a more or less equal amount of nutritional yeast and almond flour in a small container. I usually go with 1/2 cup of each. For that amount, I add 1/4 teaspoon of salt; add your salt to taste. Mix it up well, then cover any unused portion tightly. This will keep well in the fridge almost indefinitely, but there’s no way you’ll make it last that long!
Explore more …
- Vegan Italian Recipes
- Global Vegan Eggplant Recipes
- Pasta with Chard & White Beans
- Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
See more easy vegan recipes for pasta & noodles.
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