Easy Creamy Cilantro Penne
8 ounces penne
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium sized white squash, or zucchini
5 medium cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2-3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
huge pinch dried red chili flakes
salt, to taste
1. Boil penne according to package directions, drain, set aside. On medium-high heat in a deep skillet, add the sesame oil and garlic and saute for about 1 minute, just long enough for the garlic to infuse the oil.
2. Add squash and mushrooms, saute for about 5 minutes. Add a tablespoon water if necessary for the veggies to cook properly.
3. Besides the penne, add the rest of the ingredients and stir into a sauce. Let simmer for about 1 minute. Add penne and stir.
Awesome. Now you've got a super flavorful dish to devour!
SO HOW'D IT GO?
I just made this recipe, and while it tasted pretty good as is, I added a lot of pepper because it was a bit blander than I normally prefer. I also think maybe adding some cubed and sauteed tempeh would have done wonders. Adding some substance will definitely be key to perfecting this recipe, in my opinion. But overall, good stuff! I've never had cilantro in pasta before, and I liked it a lot.
There is a relatively small amount of dressing for the pasta, and it almost seems like it should be pasta salad for that reason, and that it has mayo and cilantro. I think the mayo mostly got absorbed into the pasta from the heat, so I think I'd prefer this as a cold salad rather than cooked at the end.