This Orecchiette Pasta with Carrot Miso Sauce is creamy, delicious, and completely vegan! Topped with a bright, flavorful carrot top gremolata (optional) and toasted bread crumbs.
We’ve been loving this vegan carrot pasta recipe lately! It features fresh, happy carrots—not just the roots—but the tops too! Orecchiette pasta is the perfect little scoop for the creamy carrot sauce. Pillowy cups of goodness!
The carrot pasta sauce is simple to make. It simmers while the orecchiette pasta cooks—very quickly and efficiently—and then it is blended into the creamiest, silkiest sauce that literally glows with nutrients, with the mouth-feel of mac and cheese. Heavenly!
The vibrant green carrot tops are turned into a tasty, herby Gremolata Sauce. Double the flavor and double the nutrients!
Why You’ll Love CArrot Pasta!
- Satisfyingly creamy, yet surprisingly vegan!
- So much depth of flavor, including umami from the miso.
- Gratifying texture and crunch from the toasted breadcrumbs.
- Bright and tangy flavor from the Carrot-Top Gremolata.
- Full of nutrients! Thanks to both the carrots and their tops!
Altogether, it is an orchestra of flavors—and basically, it just makes me happy! Try it and see if it makes you happy too. Just curious. 😉
Carrot Pasta Recipe Ingredients
- Orecchiette: This pasta shape is perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce, but feel free to use other pasta shells.
- Carrots: Fresh, organic, sweet carrots with their tops! If you can’t find carrot tops, sub-Italian parsley.
- Raw cashews: For creamy, luscious texture -or sub raw hemp hearts.
- White miso paste: for added depth and umami flavor.
- Aromatics: Shallots and garlic cloves add savory flavors.
- Extra Virgin Olive oil: For added richness.
- Italian parsley for vibrant fresh flavor.
- Lemon: Both lemon zest and lemon juice are needed.
- Panko breadcrumbs– for delicious texture!
How to Make Carrot Sauce for Pasta
Step 1: Prep the carrot sauce ingredeints. Slice the carrots thinly for faster cooking!
Step 2: Saute. Warm olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Sauté shallot and garlic until fragrant and golden, 5 minutes.
Step 3: Simmer: Add carrots, cashews, water, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until carrots are fork-tender, 15 minutes. Stir in miso and cool 5-10 minutes.
Step 4: Blend carrot miso sauce. Transfer the contents of the pot to a high-speed blender. Secure the lid and place a towel over top. Blend on low, gradually increasing speed until fully blended. For the smoothest texture, blend for 1-1 1/2 minutes!
Make the Carrot Top Gremolata
Make the gremolata by adding carrot leaves, parsley, lemon zest, and garlic to a food processor.
Pulse until finely chopped, add salt and oil, then pulse a few times to incorporate. Add more olive oil for a looser version.
Make the Toasted Bread Crumbs
To make the toasted breadcrumbs, add to a large skillet over medium and drizzle with enough oil to lightly coat. Add a generous pinch of salt and granulated garlic. Stir until golden, 5 minutes. Let cool.
Put it all together!
Combine. Drain the cooked pasta and combine it with the carrot pasta sauce, gently warming if needed. Taste and adjust for salt.
Serve. Sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs and the gremolata!
Chef’s Tips
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free miso to make this gluten-free. Undercook the pasta a bit to ensure it doesn’t get mushy.
- Slice the carrots thinly: Slice the carrots thinly so they cook faster!
- Carrots should be tender: Make sure the carrots are super soft and fork-tender for a super creamy sauce.
- Add extra veggies: Toss in 1 cup of veggies when the pasta is almost done cooking to quickly blanch them. Peas, broccoli, or asparagus go well! You can also wilt a handful of fresh spinach when combining the sauce and pasta together.
- Meal prep: Make the sauce ahead of time, refrigerate, then gently warm when ready to serve with pasta.
- Add a little spice: Garnish with red pepper flakes for a bit of spicy flavor. This can be added to the gremolata too! Or add a pinch of cayenne to the blender.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. You can add a splash of vegetable broth to help make the sauce creamy again. Store the breadcrumbs separately to keep them crispy. Gently reheat everything on the stovetop or reheat in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this carrot pasta with a light, leafy green salad or a side of green veggies like roasted asparagus or green beans!
FAQs
If you can’t find orecchiette, that’s okay! Use your favorite type of pasta or other shapes with textures that hold creamy sauce well, like shells or fusilli.
When tender, carrots provide a deliciously creamy texture, and their orange color is so vibrant and inviting! Not to mention they’re a great way to sneak in the nutritional benefit of seasonal veggies to your pasta.
Yes! For best results, freeze the carrot pasta sauce on its own, then prepare pasta when ready to serve. Leave plenty of room for the sauce to expand. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.
Health Benefits of Carrots
Carrots are a nutritional powerhouse and come with a host of health benefits that make them a great addition to any diet. Here are just a few!
- Rich in nutrients: Carrots are an excellent source of vitamins A, K1, and B6, potassium, and biotin. Vitamin A comes from beta-carotene, which supports vision, immune function, and skin health.
- Eye health: Thanks to beta-carotene, eating carrots regularly can help prevent vision decline and conditions like age-related macular degeneration due to its antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.
- Antioxidant benefits: Antioxidant beta-carotene also helps protect against free radicals. The antioxidants in carrots may contribute to reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and certain cancers.
- Skin health: Both vitamin A and antioxidants allow carrots to protect the skin from sun damage and premature aging. Lack of vitamin A can lead to dry skin, so carrots can help keep skin health and vibrant!
- Immune function: Vitamins A and C help support the immune system, and regular consumption of carrots can help the body fight off infections more effectively.
- Digestive health: Carrots are rich in dietary fiber, allowing them to maintain good digestive health and promote a balanced gut.
- Heart health: High intake of the types of carotenoids found in carrots has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease. And the potassium in carrots can help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
I hope you have a beautiful weekend, friends. You’ll find the freshest carrots (and their vibrant green tops) at the farmers market this weekend! So get outside, get some fresh air, and go get some carrots. Enjoy this delicious creamy carrot pasta sauce!
If you like this recipe, you may also want to try our Lemon Pasta!
xoxo
More Favorite Carrot Recipes!
Pasta with Carrot Miso Sauce Video
Orecchiette Pasta with Carrot Miso Sauce
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: vegan, pasta
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Orecchiette Pasta with Carrot Miso Sauce is creamy, delicious, and completely vegan! Topped with a bright, flavorful carrot top gremolata (optional) and toasted bread crumbs.
Ingredients
- 8–10 ounces orecchiette pasta, cooked in salted water, according to package directions.
Carrot Miso Sauce:
- 2 shallots, rough chopped (or 1/2 an onion)
- 4–6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 heaping cups carrots, thinly sliced (3 medium carrots)
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup raw cashews (or sub raw hemp seeds)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons White Miso Paste
Carrot Top Gremolata (optional, but tasty)
- 1/2 cup carrot tops (small tender leaves) packed or sub 1/2 cup more Italian Parsley
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley
- 1 fat garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest ( zest from one med lemon)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup– 1/2 cup olive oil (make sure it is not bitter-taste it!)
- 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice.
Toasted Bread Crumbs
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Set 6-8 cups salted water to boil for pasta, and cook according to directions.
- Make the Carrot Sauce: Heat oil in a medium pot, over medium heat. Saute shallot and garlic until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add carrots, cashews, water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat to low and simmer gently until carrots are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the 3 tablespoons of miso ( it doesn’t need to dissolve fully) and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- While the carrots simmer make the optional Carrot Top Gremolata and Toasted Panko or Bread Crumbs (see notes!)
- Blend the sauce: Once the carrots are tender and slightly cooled, place all in a high-speed blender, covering tightly with a kitchen towel, blend on the lowest setting, gradually increasing speed, until fully blended, creamy and silky smooth about 1- 1 1/2 minutes. Take your time here and get it SMOOTH!!!
- Drain the pasta and pour the sauce over the pasta, gently warming if needed. Taste and adjust salt. (If you didn’t salt your pasta water, chances are you’ll need salt.)
- Divide among bowls, and sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and spoon the flavorful Carrot Top Gremolata over top.
Notes
Feel free to toss in 1 cup of other veggies into the cooking pasta at the end to steam. For example, sometimes I’ll add a cup of peas to quickly blanch in with the pasta at the last minute.
You can make the sauce ahead, refrigerate and warm up before serving.
Carrot top Gremolata:
- Place carrot leaves, parsley, lemon zest, and garlic in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until finely chopped. Add the salt and oil, pulsing a few more times until incorporated (but not too smooth). Add more oil if you prefer a looser version.
Toasted Bread Crumbs or Panko.
- Place a 1/2 -1 cup of bread crumbs or panko in a large skillet over medium heat, and drizzle with just enough olive oil to lightly coat. Add a good pinch of salt and granulated garlic if you like. Stir until golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/4 cup (without bread crumbs or Gremolata)
- Calories: 393
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 201.3 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 59.7 g
- Fiber: 5.4 g
- Protein: 11.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Lovely colour and fantastic taste!
I was looking for a new vegan pasta sauce and voilá! I found this recipe on Tuesday and two days later, I just tried it and loved it.
I never thought that miso would go well with cashews, it was just great.
Thanks a lot for the great recipe.
Thanks so much Bo!
We are not a vegan family. I tried this recipe because of hosting a friend that is vegan. Everyone loved this dish I could make most of I ahead of time which was great and I will make it again.
Wow I’m impressed. This turned out really great. It’s definitely not Mac n cheese but it’s great anyway!
I added some nutritional yeast to the sauce. Yum!
Love this recipe, my husband who is a serious carnivore even loved it and thats saying a lot!
Would this freeze well? I would love to make extra and have it in the freezer!
Thank you!
Loved this recipe! The sauce is so creamy and the toasted breadcrumbs on the top really make it. I didn’t change anything with the recipe and I definitely won’t going forward. New staple dish! I can’t wait to try other recipes from the site.
Tasty!
This recipe is incredible, I can’t stop making it! Seriously one of the best things I’ve eaten and made! I want everyone to try this to see how good vegan food can be! Also a great way to work on using up the mass harvest of carrots from my garden. Thank you for such a fabulous recipe!
Love the sexy creaminess and the no waste approach! this is the second recipe from feasting at home (first I tried the frankies!) and two out of two delish meals so far! and counting 🙂
thanks so much- happy you are enjoying. 🙂
Really loved this recipe! I have a cashew allergy so used some almond crema I had in the fridge and it was perfect! I am a new fan and will be trying more of your recipes.
Thanks Jen- welcome to the blog!
Do you think a different type of nut would work in place of cashews? I really want to try this, but my son has a cashew allergy.
I think hemp seeds would work great.
Awesome recipe! I am not vegan but this is now printed out and in my recipe binder to make again. It was so flavorful.
The pasta was bursting with flavours! And my dad kept adding more gremolata to his plate with every helping! Thank you so much for introducing us to this wonderful recipe!
Fantastic recipe! Delicious, creamy, filling, healthy but feels indulgent. Going in the “meals we like” file for future use.
This is so delicious. I made a batch and ate it for 3 days…and then immediately bought ingredients to make it again because I’m obsessed! Love the Gremolata-but I think it’s better the next day, so if you have time to plan ahead I’d make this one day sooner.
thanks Kate!
I have not yet made this recipe. I have a question before I do so. There are 2 places in the recipe that have a bullet point but there’s no ingredient by either of them. One is in the sauce. The other is in the gremolata. Is this just a typo or are there ingredients that are missing? I’m reading the recipe from my phone but that should not be a factor.
Nothing is missing. 🙂 It’s how I try to break up the ingredients according to the steps. Maybe it is weird.
This was my first creamy vegan sauce since saying bye to dairy, and it didn’t disappoint! I substituted rocket (as I had so much) in the gremolata (divine too) and the bread crumbs really replaced the parmesan. Also tried this with potato the next time round and added mushroom, spinach, spring onion and bacon to appease the hubby – still amazing!
Awesome Amanda! Love your variations. 🙂
This dish is incredibly delicious!!!! My husband described it as something you would expect to be served at a 5 star restaurant, and I agree. Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Awwww, thanks! Appreciate this!
Hi – about to try this recipe – looks amazing. Is there any alternative to Cashews ( trying not to use any nuts) Please let me know,
Thank you
Not off the top of my head. Are you vegan?
Just made this. Yes it is time consuming and requires a lot of clean up, but I think it would get easier with more practice. Also, the Gremolata is a MUST. That with the toasted panko was a game changer. I made it with red miso paste as I didn’t have white miso, and just put slightly less than 3 tablespoons. Overall delicious and my second recipe from your website this month!
Thanks Alanna!
Wow!! I will be making this on repeat for the foreseeable future. Sauteed shitake’s would be great with this. Also wondering if adding nutritional yeast to the sauce would make for a tasty vegan nacho cheeze.
I don’t often leave comments for recipes but this is SO good I felt compelled to. Thanks for creating/sharing!
Haha, love it. Yes on Nutritional yeast for the nacho cheese!
This recipe is amazing (and one of my favorites that I have made from your site)! Everything about it was delicious! Thank you so very much for sharing your incredible recipes online!
Thanks so much Melody!Appreciate this so much!
This is a great idea…I accidentally made soup b/c I added way too much water to the carrots…(4cups)…so how much water does the recipe call for? Not the pasta, but the sauce..:the accidental soup is tasty..:but I was hoping for sauce…
Yes, too much water….recipe calls for 2 cups water.
Loved the sweet flavors and it’s creaminess. And vegan!
Is the miso essential for this recipe?
It really adds depth here.
My son does not like vegetables, so I didn’t tell him what this was until he was on his second bowl. Now he asks me when I’m making it again!
The gremolata takes it over the top and adds a delicious complexity of flavor
I have never left a recipe review on any site…but this is so good I had to! Agree with others that the garnishes are critical and really balance out the dish. I put this on basically anything! Does anyone know if it freezes well?
Thanks so much Mia! Glad you liked this!