This creamy veggie pasta dish features carrots, zucchini, and a delicious cream cheese sauce. Your children will eat their vegetable pasta without any complaints.
You will love this creamy veggie pasta! It is such a simple, quick, cheap, and delightful dish! For more creamy noodles, check out the Cream Cheese Pasta or Pasta in Coconut Milk Sauce.
The creamy veggie pasta is the perfect middle-of-the-week dish when you don't have much time to spend in the kitchen but still want to eat something healthy and comforting. It's exactly the time for pasta. And when it's vegetable pasta, it is even better!
Recipe ingredients
Spaghetti. Of course, any other kind of pasta is fine (if your kids allow it). Try the Truffle Butter Pasta, too.
Vegetables: carrots and zucchini. When I happen to have celeriac, I add it as well. It has a wonderful flavor that fits this dish perfectly. Make more pasta with veggies, for instance, Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce or Vegetable Pasta with Pesto.
Cream cheese: You can use full-fat or low-fat cream cheese (but not lower than 16% fat).
Herbs: any fresh or frozen herbs you like. Parsley, dill, chives, or thyme are all great!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make creamy vegetable pasta?
- Step #1: Start cooking the pasta and cut the veggie into julienne stripes.
- Step #2: Bring the broth to a boil, add the vegetables, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Step #3: Whisk cream cheese and milk until smooth and season well. Pour into the pot, stir, and cook until it thickens slightly. If too thick, add more milk. Adjust seasoning and add herbs.
- Step #4: Drain the pasta.
- Step #5: Add it to the pot with the sauce and stir well to combine.
- Step #6: Add Parmesan and stir again.
Good to know!
I use a vegetable chopper or cutter to julienne the vegetables. You don't have to, but it speeds up the process.
You can also cut the veggies by hand. Cut them into long strips, staple some of the stripes evenly, and cut the thin veggie slices. It works fine, but it takes a few minutes longer.
Time management: Cut the vegetables while the pasta water cooks. They will only need a few minutes of cooking time, so they will be ready by the time the spaghetti is cooked.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate leftover creamy veggie pasta in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Reheat them on the stovetop, adding a splash of milk and stirring frequently. Or reheat the creamy veggie pasta in an appropriate container in the microwave.
Creamy Veggie Pasta
Ingredients
- 14 oz spaghetti or other pasta
- 1 ¼ cup vegetable stock from a cube
- 3 medium carrots about 250 g/ 9 oz
- 1 medium zucchini about 250 g/ 9 oz, Note 1
- 1 cup cream cheese Note 2
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 pinch red chili flakes optional and to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs of your choice, Note 3
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Set the water for the pasta. In the meantime, julienne the vegetables. Add the pasta to the pot and set the time according to the packet's instructions.14 oz spaghetti/ 400 g + 3 medium carrots + 1 medium zucchini
- Cook veggies: Bring the vegetable stock to a boil, add the veggies, and cook for 2 minutes.1 ¼ cup vegetable stock/ 300 ml
- Make sauce: In the meantime, whisk cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add salt and pepper (to taste) and red chili flakes. Pour the mixture into the pot with the vegetables. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. If the sauce is too thick, add an extra splash of milk and stir. Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper and some lemon juice. Stir in the chopped herbs.1 cup cream cheese/ 250 g + ¼ cup milk/ 60 ml + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper + 1 pinch red chili flakes + 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice + 2 tablespoons fresh herbs
- Combine: Drain the pasta, add to the creamy pot and stir well to combine.
- Serve: Add Parmesan and stir again. Serve sprinkled with more Parmesan if you wish.2 tablespoons Parmesan
Notes
- Veggies: You can replace some of the carrots or zucchini with a piece of celeriac; it also tastes wonderful.
- Cream cheese: You can use full-fat or lower-fat cream cheese, but don't go lower than 16% fat.
- Fresh or frozen herbs like parsley, chives, dill, or thyme.
Leave a Reply