• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

ZardyPlants

  • Home
  • Vegan & Oil-free Recipes
    • Cheezes
    • Breakfasts
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Snacks & Apps
    • Entrees
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Ingredients
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
  • Shop
    • Recipe Books
    • Products I Use
  • About
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegan and Oil-free Recipes
  • Free Cookbook with Signup!
  • Plant-Based Jewish Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • About
Ă—
You are here: Home / Vegan and Oil-free Recipes / Vegan Cajun Pasta

Vegan Cajun Pasta

Published: Feb 16, 2021 · Modified: May 20, 2021 by 💚 Liz

Share with friends!

Creamy, spicy, and flavorful, this Vegan Cajun Pasta may just be your new favorite dinner. Enjoy on its own or top it with some seitan chicken.

Part of our 30-in-30 Quick Vegan Meals eBook!

Skip to the Recipe!
Vegan Cajun Pasta topped with sliced seitan cutlet

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

Hey Internet, you know me, I LOVE pasta. To me, it’s the ultimate comfort food. ESPECIALLY creamy pasta.

And lately, it’s been freaking freezing here in the Chicago suburbs. One cannot subsist on soup alone, so here we are, back with another pasta dish.

AND it’s another one-pot pasta, so there’s no straining and no draining.

I dunno about you, but I feel like a little spiciness adds to the warming effect of a hot bowl of creamy pasta.

I actually used to hate spicy food, but I’m trying to train myself to like it.

And as far as spicy goes, my friends who like spicy food would try this and laugh at me, telling me it’s mild.

The great thing about this dish is that you can add extra heat if you like, or go heavier on the tomatoes and less on the cajun seasoning if you’re not a spice fan. I’ll even throw in a cajun seasoning recipe so you could make your own not-spicy version if you like (see the What You’ll Need section below).

This pasta is also loaded with veggies.

Now, for protein. If you want to add a protein, you can but it’s not necessary. You could use high protein pasta, as well.

Possible proteins include seitan chicken, vegan sausage (store bought or I have a recipe for some delicious vegan sausages), tofu, soy curls, chickpeas, or a store-bought vegan chicken like Nuggs (my personal fav, if not making my own).

Personally, I went with the seitan chicken for this recipe. I used my own recipe, and part of the way through the cooking process I crusted the chicken in more Cajun seasoning. I placed the sliced seitan on top of my vegan Cajun pasta and it was SO FREAKING GOOD.

If you want to do as I did for your vegan chicken topping, check out my seitan chicken recipe. I have a note in the recipe instructions on when to crust it in the seasoning and what to do after.

But, let’s talk about that pasta, because yum.

Ingredients in bowls

What You’ll Need

This creamy vegan Cajun pasta is SO easy to make, and it’s like any of my other 20-30 minute pasta dinners in that it’s simple and tasty.

Starting with the pasta, you can use any you like. If you’re gluten-free, use a good gluten-free pasta you’ve cooked with before. I hear good things about this brown rice pasta.

Bean-based pastas like Banza are also a good choice.

Since this is a one pot pasta, and we’re not going to drain it, I recommend using a short pasta like penne or rotini as opposed to spaghetti.

Next, veggies. Since this is vegan Cajun pasta, I used an onion, some bell peppers, some green onion (different taste to me, so I like using both), and a can of fire-roasted tomatoes.

You could substitute any quick cooking veggies you like, such as mushrooms, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, cauliflower, etc.

Instead of cooking the pasta, I cooked it in broth which is great, because we’re not draining it so all that flavor is going directly into the pasta.

I used vegan chicken broth as opposed to veggie broth here for the flavor. I personally love Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base (and mix it with hot water) as it keeps better and is more economical than carton vegan chicken broth.

You can absolutely use prepared vegan chicken broth or even just vegetable broth though!

To make things creamy at the end, I added a little coconut milk. You could also use cashew cream (soaked cashews blended with water, sunflower cream, or just leave it out. You do you!

And most importantly, Cajun seasoning. Use as much or as little as you like. I personally used about 2 ½ teaspoons which was enough considering I also crusted my vegan chicken in it.

If you can’t find Cajun seasoning, you can also make your own. It might even be better to make your own if you can’t handle spicy food… You can leave the spice out completely.

To make your own Cajun seasoning you can mix smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground mustard seed, and cayenne pepper (leave out for no spiciness). There are a bunch of recipes online if you need to do this.

Pasta and vegetables in a pot

Tips for Making Vegan Cajun Pasta

  • In a large nonstick pot over medium high heat, start sauteing your onion. I use water for this, but feel free to use oil if you prefer. Saute the onions until they become translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Throw in the peppers and cajun seasoning and saute for 2 minutes.
  • Then, throw in the white parts of your green onion and the fire roasted tomatoes. Stir well, and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Now add the pasta, and all but half a cup of the broth. Keep this on reserve.
  • If you are using soy curls or chickpeas, you could add them now, but since I added seitan chicken at the end I didn’t write it into the recipe.
  • Give it a thorough stir, turn the heat down to medium, and cover. Cook for 8 - 12 minutes, stirring frequently and ensuring there is enough liquid. Add a little only if all the liquid gets soaked up. Every pasta is different, so it’s good to have a little on reserve. Note if you run out liquid again you can just add a little water until there’s just enough to keep the dish moist.
  • Once the pasta is fully cooked, taste it and adjust any seasonings if needed. Pour in the coconut milk / cashew cream / sunflower cream, stir well, and add the green parts of the green onion.
  • Serve and top with sliced seitan chicken or other if desired.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container 3-5 days.
Cajun Pasta in a pot

More Quick Vegan Pasta Dinners

I probably love pasta more than anything--sorry Mr. Zardyplants, aka Paul.

Here’s some of my fave pasta dishes right now--if you loved this vegan Cajun pasta I bet you’ll like these:

  • Vegan Baked Feta Pasta
  • Chickpea Florentine (one pot)
  • Vegan Ricotta Pasta with Tomatoes
  • Savory Coconut Pasta
  • Tahini Pasta with Broccolini
  • Vegan Vodka Sauce (with pasta)
  • Vegan Goulash (American/Chili Mac Style)
  • Vegan Manicotti
  • Pasta Puttanesca (one pot)
  • Vegan Hamburger Helper

Want More Fast and Easy Recipes?

Our 30-in-30 Quick Vegan Meals has all the great food you want in 30 minutes or less! With 5 exclusive recipes, you also get an ad-free experience with our PDF. These are some of our most popular recipes, now easily accessible for when you need a great meal now.

Learn more and order here

Anything Else?

As always, I hope you love this recipe--I know I do, and Mr. Zardyplants does too. He gave me very high praise each time I made it… and that makes me so happy. :)

This vegan Cajun pasta is:

  • Creamy
  • Spicy
  • Cozy
  • Savory
  • Rich
  • Thick
  • Satisfying
  • And perfect for a quick and cozy dinner, but impressive enough to serve guests!

Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe or tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)

Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!

<3 Liz

Save this for later on Pinterest!

Pinterest image for the vegan Cajun pasta
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Vegan Cajun Pasta topped with sliced seitan cutlet

Vegan Cajun Pasta


★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Liz Madsen
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 10 cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Creamy, spicy, and flavorful, this Vegan Cajun Pasta may just be your new favorite dinner. Enjoy on its own or top it with seitan chicken.


Ingredients

Scale

Pasta

  • 1 pound pasta of choice (use gluten-free if needed) (see note 2)
  • 3 cups vegan chicken or vegetable broth (see note 3)
  • 1-14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular tomatoes)
  • 1 small sweet or yellow onion, quartered and sliced
  • 2 medium bell peppers (any color), quartered and sliced
  • 4-6 green onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1-3 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, to taste (see note 4)
  • ½ cup - Âľ cup coconut milk / cashew cream / sunflower cream, optional

Optional protein:

  • Seitan chicken or other (see note 5)

Instructions

  1. Saute onions: In a large nonstick pot over medium high heat, start sauteing your onion. I use water for this, but feel free to use oil if you prefer. Saute the onions until they become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. 
  2. Add peppers & spices: Throw in the peppers and cajun seasoning and saute for 2 minutes. 
  3. Add green onions & tomatoes: Then, throw in the white parts of your green onion and the fire roasted tomatoes. Stir well, and cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add pasta and broth: Now add the pasta, and all but half a cup of the broth. Keep this on reserve.
  5. If using a protein: If you are using soy curls or chickpeas, you could add them now, but since I added seitan chicken at the end I didn’t write it into the recipe.
  6. Cover and cook: Give it a thorough stir, turn the heat down to medium, and cover. Cook for 8 - 12 minutes, stirring frequently and ensuring there is enough liquid. Add a little only if all the liquid gets soaked up. Every pasta is different, so it’s good to have a little on reserve. Note if you run out liquid again you can just add a little water until there’s just enough to keep the dish moist.
  7. Make it creamy: Once the pasta is fully cooked, taste it and adjust any seasonings if needed. Pour in the coconut milk / cashew cream / sunflower cream, stir well, and add the green parts of the green onion.
  8. Serve: Serve and top with sliced seitan chicken or other if desired.
  9. Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container 3-5 days.

Notes

  • Note 1: Prep time does not include seitan chicken on top. Instructions provided as a note in the recipe on that page. You could definitely start those before you start this, and the vegan chicken would be almost done when you were done with the pasta, especially if you waited to start this till you had all the veggies chopped and ingredients prepped.
  • Note 2: You can use any pasta you like. If you’re gluten-free, use a good gluten-free pasta you’ve cooked with before. I hear good things about this brown rice pasta. Bean-based pastas like Banza are also a good choice. Since this is a one pot pasta, and we’re not going to drain it, I recommend using a short pasta like penne or rotini as opposed to spaghetti.
  • Note 3: Instead of cooking the pasta, I cooked it in broth which is great, because we’re not draining it so all that flavor is going directly into the pasta. I used vegan chicken broth as opposed to veggie broth here for the flavor. I personally love Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base (and mix it with hot water) as it keeps better and is more economical than carton vegan chicken broth. You can absolutely use prepared vegan chicken broth or even just vegetable broth though!
  • Note 4: If you can’t find Cajun seasoning, you can also make your own. It might even be better to make your own if you can’t handle spicy food… You can leave the spice out completely. To make your own Cajun seasoning you can mix smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground mustard seed, and cayenne pepper (leave out for no spiciness). There are a bunch of recipes online if you need to do this.
  • Note 5: Possible proteins include seitan chicken, vegan sausage (store bought or I have a recipe for some delicious vegan sausages), tofu, soy curls, chickpeas, or a store-bought vegan chicken like Nuggs (my personal fav, if not making my own).
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: American, New Orleans

Keywords: Vegan, Oil-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Can Be Gluten-Free, Vegan Cajun Pasta

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us @zardyplants — we can't wait to see what you've made!


Click Here to Sign Up for my Newsletter and Never Miss a Recipe!

« Seitan Chicken
Vegan General Tso’s Chicken »

Share with friends!

Filed Under: Entrees, Vegan and Oil-free Recipes

Follow us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

You May Also Like:

Watermelon tuna poke bowl with veggies and fruits

Watermelon Tuna

Vegan Buttered Noodles

Panko Tofu

See More

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. zinka

    February 18, 2021 at 8:06 pm

    Loved this pasta recipe! It was so easy to make and bursting with flavor

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Steve

    February 22, 2021 at 1:25 am

    Bomb! Very tasty.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

About Liz

Paul and Liz holding a small black dog standing in front of Lake Michigan
Plant-based Nutrition Certificate Badge

Hi, I'm Liz!

I develop whole food plant based vegan recipes that are oil-free, (mostly) gluten-free, easy, healthy, and budget-friendly. My husband and I created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

Read More

Get our Free e-book and Never Miss a Recipe!

Cover for a free vegan ebook

Our Most Popular Recipes

Bowl of vegan dumpling soup

Vegan Stew with Dumplings

Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl

Vegan Garlic Noodles

A cracker cutting into soft vegan brie

Vegan Brie

Hand holding a vegan philly cheesesteak

Vegan Philly Cheesesteak

Vegan Gluten-free Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings piled in a bowl

Vegan Gluten-free Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings

Categories

  • Breakfasts
  • Cheezes
  • Compilations
  • Desserts
  • Dips & Sauces
  • Drink
  • Entrees
  • Gluten Free
  • Holiday
  • Ingredients
  • Lifestyle
  • Meat Alternatives
  • Quick Meals
  • Salads
  • Sides
  • Snacks & Apps
  • Soups
  • Uncategorized
  • Vegan and Oil-free Recipes
  • Vegan Baking

Legal

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 2022 ZardyPlants on the Foodie Pro Theme

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Disclaimer - Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy