Vegan Summer Garden Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Chard

Step 1

Cook the pasta according to package directions. In the last minute of cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Then, stir the chopped chard into the pot of boiling pasta. When the time is up, drain the pasta and the chard. Set aside.

Step 2

Set a sauté pan over medium heat. Once the pan has heat up, add half of the olive oil. Add the zucchini to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the zucchini, stirring here and there, until slightly softened and edges are bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the sautéed zucchini to a bowl and set aside.

Step 3

Return the sauté pan to the stove and add the remaining oil. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Throw the thyme, chili flakes, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, and capers into the pan, and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 4

Pour in the wine and stir. Once the wine has reduced slightly, about 1 minute, add the cherry tomatoes to the pan. Cover the pot with a lid and let it sit for 2 full minutes.

Step 5

Uncover the pan. The cherry tomatoes should be slightly softened. Start squishing them with the back of your spoon/spatula. Once they’re squished to your liking, pour in the non-dairy “cream” and stir. Add the chickpeas and stir. The sauce should be a bit fluid. If it seems dry, pour in some of the reserved pasta cooking water.

Step 6

Bring the sauce to a simmer, and add the drained pasta and chard along with the sautéed zucchini and basil. Stir to combine. Serve the pasta hot with vegan “parmesan” and extra chili flakes if you like.