Pasta Meal with Tigernut Flavor: A Quick and Easy Recipe

Pasta lovers, this one’s for you! *This delicious tigernut pasta recipe is gluten free, lactose free and nut-free, making a great any-time dish for those with these kinds of allergies and dietary restrictions.

It uses an unexpected ingredient to create the foundation for a classic savory pasta flavor: Natureul Tigernut Butter. Our organic tigernut spread is paleo-friendly and contains no preservatives, making it a perfect ingredient for a wholesome breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

*This recipe, like our butter, is incredibly allergy-friendly and sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. Tender pasta, earthy tigernut, and vibrant herbs make it one you’ll be reaching for again and again when you need a quick, easy, and tasty dinner!

How to make Pasta with Tigernut Flavor

This tigernut pasta dish is super easy and requires very few ingredients! Making this recipe is as simple as boiling water and blending a few key ingredients to create a nut-free pesto-style sauce, suitable for vegans and non vegans alike. 

Serve as an entree or pair with a few other sides and main dishes to please a crowd. Because it uses only a handful of staple ingredients and is ready within 10-15 minutes of active cooking time, this tigernut pasta is great as a carry-in dish for potlucks and parties.

Pasta

This recipe calls for fusilli, but you can easily substitute your favorite shape of pasta: cavatappi, spaghetti, penne, rigatoni, bowtie, cavatelli, etc. This will change the texture of the final product but shouldn’t affect the flavor much, if at all. 

Vegetables

Are you a veggie lover? Trying to pack your meals with more fiber, vitamins, and minerals? This tigernut pasta recipe is great with the addition of almost any vegetable! Adding steamed broccoli, beets, or squash, sauteed garlic and onions, or fresh peas is a great way to create more texture, appealing color, and various nutrients to this delightful pasta dish.

You can also customize the flavor by adding more soft herbs to the sauce like chives, coriander, parsley, mint, dill, or tarragon. If you’re craving a more complex flavor profile, experimenting with your favorite spices can yield unexpectedly delicious results!

Protein

This pasta pairs especially well with cooked chicken or poached eggs, but you can add your favorite protein (plant or animal based) to round out the dish and increase the satisfaction factor. Keep in mind that adding animal protein will, of course, change the status of the dish from vegan to non-vegan. Vegan chefs will want to add plant-based proteins like legumes, seitan, or tofu.

Ingredients for Tigernut Pasta

Serves 2-3

• 1 ⅓ cup uncooked gluten free fusilli pasta
• 6 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup Natureul Tigernut Butter- Classic flavor
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup fresh spinach leaves
• 6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Ground black pepper and finishing salt for serving

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Add water and salt to a pot and bring to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook according to package directions – usually around 6-8 minutes for al dente pasta.
2. Once cooked to your preference, strain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the past water and setting aside. Do not rinse the pasta. Turn off the heat and add the pasta back to the pot.
3. In a food processor, combine the Tigernut Butter, basil leaves, spinach, and nutritional yeast, pulsing to form a thick paste. Once combined, stream in the pasta water two tablespoons at a time while pulsing to incorporate until you reach the desired consistency. You should have a thick green sauce.
4. Add the mixture to the pot with the sliced tomatoes and pasta. Stir to coat the pasta and tomatoes in the sauce. You may need to turn the heat back on to a low setting to warm the tomatoes and sauce, but as long as your noodles are still fairly hot during this step, it probably won’t be necessary. 
5. Plate and serve with whole basil leaf, ground black pepper, and finishing salt to taste!

Storing Instructions

Once cooled to room temperature, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best eaten within 2-3 days.