Vegan Brown Butter Pasta with Fried Sage & Pecans
This vegan brown butter pasta is tossed in a rich, nutty dairy-free sauce with crunchy pecans and tender broccolini. It’s super easy to throw together with minimal prep, but oh-so-comforting and satisfying!
Servings: 4
Calories: 615kcal
Ingredients
- 12 ounces broccolini, stems trimmed (Note 1)
- 12 ounces dried ziti pasta (or pasta of choice)
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 25 fresh sage leaves (about 1 large bunch)
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Vegan Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add the broccolini. Boil the broccolini for about 1 minute, until the pieces become slightly tender and bright green. Remove the broccolini from the pot using tongs, and transfer the pieces to a plate. Set them aside for now.
- Add the pasta to the water and cook it according to the package directions, until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta into a colander when done.
- While the pasta cooks, place a large, wide-bottomed pot over medium heat. Give the pot a minute to heat up, then add the pecans. Toast the pecans until they begin to darken and smell nutty, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pot and transfer them to a plate or bowl.
- Add the vegan butter to the pot. Melt the butter completely, then add the sage leaves, arranging them in an even layer. Let the leaves sizzle in the butter for about 2 minutes, until they darken and crisp up. Remove the sage leaves from the pot, leaving the melted butter. Arrange the leaves on a plate.
- Remove the pot from heat. Once the butter stops sizzling, stir in the pecans. Let the pecans sit in the hot melted butter for about 5 minutes to infuse it with their flavor. In the meantime, whisk 1 tablespoon of your pasta water together with the miso paste. After the nuts have infused the butter for 5 minutes, stir the miso mixture into the melted butter. Pour the nuts and butter into a bowl.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Give the olive oil a minute to heat up, then add the broccolini, arranging the pieces in an even layer. Sear the broccolini for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper, then remove them from the pot and transfer them to a plate.
- Add the pasta to the pot, then pour the pecans and butter over the pasta. Toss everything to combine and coat the pasta in the butter, and just cook everything until heated through. Add a splash of your reserved pasta water if the pasta seems dry.
- Remove the pot from heat and season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, divide the pasta among plates or bowls, topping each portion with the fried sage leaves, broccolini, and optionally some vegan Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Trim off only the tough, woody ends of the stems. The tender stems are edible.
Nutrition
Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1618IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg