Creamy Hidden Veggie Protein Pasta
A silky, high‑protein pasta where tofu, cashews, bottle gourd and makhana blend into a creamy sauce. Tangy dry mango powder and fresh herbs add a bright, savory kick, making it a nutritious, family‑friendly dinner.
Maker: Shalini | Homemade Vegetarian Food with Love 🍲
From: Instagram(view original)
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Cooking context
35 min estimated total time for 4 servings.
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup pasta
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3.5 clove garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 cup bottle gourd
- 1/2 cup capsicum
- 0.33 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup tofu
- 1/2 cup makhana
- as needed pasta water
- 1 tbsp oregano
- to taste mixed herbs
- to taste chilli flakes
- 1/2 cup cheese
- to taste salt
- 1 tsp dry mango powder
Instructions
- 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8‑10 minutes until al dente; reserve 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water, then drain and set the pasta aside.
- 2While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tbsp oil and 2.5 tbsp butter in a wide skillet over medium heat (about 350°F/347°F).
- 3Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
- 4Stir in the chopped onion and cook 3‑4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns golden and soft.
- 5Add the diced bottle gourd and capsicum; sauté for another 2 minutes just to soften them slightly.
- 6Reduce the heat to low, then add the cashews, crumbled tofu, and makhana. Cover the pan and let the mixture steam for 5‑6 minutes, stirring once, until everything is tender.
- 7Turn off the heat. Add a handful of ice cubes (about 4‑5) to the pan to cool the mixture quickly, then transfer everything to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- 8Return the blended sauce to the skillet, add the remaining butter, a splash of the reserved pasta water, oregano, mixed herbs, chilli flakes, cheese, salt, and dry mango powder; stir over low heat (around 300°F/302°F) for 2 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce is glossy.
- 9Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing gently to coat evenly; cook for an additional 1 minute just to heat the pasta through.
- 10Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then remove from heat.
- 11Serve the creamy pasta hot, optionally garnished with a sprinkle of extra cheese or fresh herbs.
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Creamy Hidden Veggie Protein Pasta?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Creamy Hidden Veggie Protein Pasta recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Creamy Hidden Veggie Protein Pasta recipe come from?
- It was shared by Shalini | Homemade Vegetarian Food with Love 🍲 on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.