Whole Wheat Pasta Recipe Vegan with Textured Soy

If you're looking for a vegan pasta recipe, I think you might fall in love with this vegan whole wheat pasta recipe with a creamy sauce and flavorful texture soy. It's all a homemade vegan pasta recipe can be: full of flavors, loads of veggies, and the best vegan pasta sauce you'll try.

By Clara Gonzalez - Last revised Nov 14, 2023. Published Jan 31, 2013.

Why I ❤️ it Recipe Ingredients Preparation

Vegan whole wheat pasta.

Why I ❤️ it

Back in the 70s, when I first tried it, "soy meat" – a cutesy name for textured soy – it was just a novelty. Nowadays you can't swing a wooden spoon at a supermarket without hitting soy substitutes for everything (I love a local brand of soy bacon bits).

If you were curious to try this product or wanted a new recipe to add to your repertoire, look no more. This dish – inspired by my Dominican spaghetti recipe – is loaded with a great mixture of vegetables, natural ingredients, and loads of nutrients, and is made with fiber-rich whole-wheat pasta. Now you can eat without guilt.

This free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, and I receive a small commission when you purchase, at no cost to you. Thank you!

Utensils and tools

• Large pot
• Large skillet

Ingredients

• 3 cups cherry tomato
• 2 teaspoons of salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), divided
• ½ pound of textured soy, [0.23 kg]
• 2 cups of boiling water (plus extra to boil pasta)
• 1 ½ pound of vegan whole-wheat pasta, [0.67 kg] (eggless pasta dough / egg-free vegan pasta dough)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 large white onion, cut into strips
• ½ pound of white button mushrooms, clean and sliced
• 2 of garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon of chili flakes, (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of oregano (dry leaves)
• 1 cup of soy milk
• 1 dozen fresh basil leaves, chopped
• ½ cup of vegan parmesan cheese

Preparation

Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1: Cook the tomatoes

Heat oven to 200 ºC [400 ºF].

Place the tomatoes on a baking tray. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper.
Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes (until the skin is wrinkled and broken).

Step 2: Add the water

Re-hydrate the textured soy by adding 2 cups of boiling-hot water to it. Let it rest for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Step 3: Boiling the pasta

Boil the pasta al dente with 2 teaspoons of salt added to the water. Follow the instructions in the package.

Once boiled, drain and discard all but a cup of the water of the boiling water.

Step 4: Add the ingredients

While the pasta boils, in the skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onion and cook and stir until the onions become translucent.

Increase the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook and stir for a minute.

Step 5: Cook

Remove the textured soy from the water, squeezing to release as much water as possible. Add the textured soy to the pan and cook and stir for a minute.

Add tomatoes, chili peppers, and oregano. Cook and stir for two more minutes. Add the soy milk, cook and stir until the liquid has reduced to half. Season it with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the basil leaves.

Step 6: Serving

Toss the pasta and the sauce. Scoop into a serving bowl and sprinkle with vegan parmesan.

Variations

I made this with whole-wheat spaghetti, but you can choose other types of whole grain pasta: tortellini, ravioli, or whatever noodles you feel like trying.

If you can find fresh pasta, do try it, the taste and texture are far superior to dry ones. Or you can try to make your own homemade pasta.

Top tips

You can dissolve a tablespoon of whole wheat flour into a tablespoon of cold water and add it to the sauce when you add the soy milk for extra creaminess.

Serving suggestions

This dish, frankly, does not need anything else. It has all the components of a great meal, but you can serve it alongside a green salad with a balsamic vinaigrette if you feel so inclined.

Nutritional information

Calories: 615kcal - Carbohydrates: 102g - Protein: 36g - Fat: 9g - Saturated Fat: 1g - Cholesterol: 0mg - Sodium: 816mg - Potassium: 488mg - Fiber: 7g - Sugar: 8g - Vitamin A: 520IU - Vitamin C: 21.5mg - Calcium: 232mg - Iron: 8.8mg

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