A simple delicious vegan recipe for Orecchiette with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with a bright and flavorful Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. If you are a fan of the Orecchiette with Broccoli Sauce I know you’ll appreciate this too! Flavorful and healthy! 

 Orecchiette with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with  Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. Flavorful and healthy! #orecchiette

We’ve been loving this vegan Orecchiette Pasta lately and I think you might too. It features fresh, happy carrots, not just the roots, but the tops too!  The Orecchiette pasta is the perfect little scoop for the creamy carrot sauce. Pillowy cups of goodness.

The carrot sauce is so simple to make and basically simmers while the orecchiette pasta cooks, very quick and efficient – and then it is blended into the creamiest silkiest sauce that glows with nutrients.

The vibrant green carrot tops are turned into a tasty, herby Gremolata Sauce. Double the flavor and double the nutrients!

 Orecchiette w/Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce! | 45-second video

Why this Orecchiette works?

It hits all the marks for me:

  • satisfyingly creamy -yet surprisingly vegan!
  • so much depth and umami (from the miso)
  • gratifying texture and crunch (from the toasted bread crumbs)
  • bright and tangy flavors from Carrot-Top Gremolata
  • full of nutrients!

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. 😉

 

It starts with fresh sweet carrot and their tops. If you can’t find carrot tops, feel free to sub flat-leaf parsley.

Slice the carrots thinly for the fastest cooking, and rough-chop the garlic and shallots.

Saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until golden and fragrant.

Add the carrots, water, and cashews, and let simmer covered until the carrots are tender- about 15 minutes. At the same time cook the Orecchiette pasta.

When the carrots are tender, stir in the miso. I like to use white miso here to help keep the sauce bright and orange.

Then you will blend it into a silky smooth sauce.

Creamy carrot sauce - vegan!

creamy carrot miso sauce

To make the Carrot top Gremolata, pick a 1/2 cup of tender carrot tops.  Alternatively you can use flat-leaf parsley.

Place in a food processor with parsley, lemon zest and a garlic clove. Pulse repeatedly.

Carrot Top Gremolata

Add olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and salt.

Carrot Top Gremolata

Set aside.

Carrot Top Gremolata

Toast up some bread crumbs.

Here I’ve toasted panko with a little olive oil, salt, and granulated garlic. You could make your own bread crumbs with leftover crusty bread- sourdough if you are on that train. 🙂

The bread crumbs add the PERFECT TEXTURE to the creamy pasta. TRUST ME!

Drain the orecchiette pasta and pour the creamy carrot sauce over top.

creamy carrot miso sauce

It will almost feel like creamy mac and cheese but wayyyyyyy better.

 A simple delicious vegan recipe for Orecchiette Pasta with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with  Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. Flavorful and healthy! #orecchiette

Divide among bowls and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

 A simple delicious vegan recipe for Orecchiette Pasta with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with  Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. Flavorful and healthy! #orecchiette

The pasta is good without the Gremolata, but the gremolata really elevates it.

 A simple delicious vegan recipe for Orecchiette Pasta with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with  Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. Flavorful and healthy! #orecchiette

I hope you have 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.

xoxo

Sylvia

More Recipes you may like:

  1. Creamy Spring Pea Pasta (Vegan)
  2. Orecchiette with Broccoli Sauce
  3. Spring Orecchiette with Asparagus and Peas 
  4. Vegan Alfredo
  5. 25 MUST-TRY Vegetarian Pasta (that are not boring!)
  6. North African Carrot Soup with Chermoula
  7. Carrot Salad with Quinoa and Almonds
  8. Roasted Carrots with Tahini Sauce
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 A simple delicious vegan recipe for Orecchiette Pasta with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with  Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. Flavorful and healthy! #orecchiette

Orecchiette with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce (Vegan)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 148 reviews
  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 3-4 1x
  • Category: vegan, pasta
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A simple delicious vegan recipe for Orecchiette with Creamy Carrot Miso Sauce, topped with a bright and tasty Carrot Top Gremolata (optional) and Toasted Bread Crumbs. Flavorful and healthy! #orecchiette


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 810 ounces orecchiette pasta, cooked in salted water, according to package directions.

Carrot Miso Sauce:

  • 2 shallots, rough chopped (or 1/2 an onion)
  • 46 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!)
  • 12 teaspoons lemon juice.

Toasted Bread Crumbs


Instructions

  1. COOK PASTA: Set 6-8 cups salted water to boil for pasta, and cook according to directions.
  2. COOK the 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.
  3. While the carrots simmer make the optional Carrot Top Gremolata and Toasted Panko or Bread Crumbs (see notes!) 
  4. BLEND THE CARROT MISO 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!!!
  5. 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.)
  6. 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

  1. Place carrot leaves, parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a food processer 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

  1. 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: 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

 

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Comments

  1. This was very good!I agree with Sylvia and others that the Gremolota sauce really makes this recipe come alive. The carrots I used did not have tops. Instead I used cilantro, and this worked extremely well. I did’t make the toasted bread crumbs, but this would have improved it further. I didn’t have orecchiette pasta—I used rotini pasta instead and this worked well. I also sautéed the onions etc. in water rather than oil to reduce the total fat.






  2. I wasn’t sure how I would like this recipe because it’s a bit out of my comfort zone, but it’s DELICIOUS.

    I used oregano instead of parsley because I don’t like the taste of parsley, and the Gremolata was still fantastic.






  3. This is amazing! I could eat it everyday. The gremolata was tasty but hurt my stomach. Toasted panko are a must!






  4. Trying to grow our vegan repertoire, and finally tried this recipe – sooooo delicious. I get all the hype now! Wouldn’t skip the toasted breadcrumbs and gremolata. I also scattered some micro pea shoots on top at the end, and a few red chili flakes. We will definitely make this again!






  5. This recipe is absolutely delicious. Restaurant worthy! Quick and easy despite the 2 garnishes, which make it a nuanced meal (highly recommend not skipping them)!






  6. This is an absolutely delicious recipe! Such a deeply satisfying vegan meal that has a true finesse to it. I followed the recipe to the tee and it is so perfect. It’s hard to have just one portion at a time.

    I’m sure it would be equally delicious with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for a carb free dinner. I love your style and recipes! Thank you!






  7. Just made this and it was amazing! This is the best creamy vegan pasta sauce I’ve ever tried. Healthy and delicious. Easy and fun to make!






  8. Delicious and really easy. I did it with penne, didn’t have cashews so I did pumpkin seeds, and skipped the gremolata, it was a good way to use up carrots that ended up at the bottom of the veggie drawer, lost in the holiday cooking and went a little soft.

    Would this freeze okay? Thanks!






    1. Sorry, Kristen, I’m not sure how it would freeze? Let me know if you try though!

  9. Love the sound of this recipe but we have a soy allergy in our household. Any thoughts on a good sub for the miso? Read that tahini and a little coconut amino/fish sauce combo might work?

  10. It did indeed remind me of mac and cheese with the creaminess. We are new to the vegan lifestyle and everyone in my house liked this recipe. The gremolata and toasted panko were great additions!

  11. I made this for Christmas dinner. My boyfriend couldn’t stop eating it. He said he never pictured eating orecchiette for the holidays. I used 1 Tablespoon less of the white miso, and used a hand immersion blender which makes the sauce thicker than shown. I also baked it into a casserole with the gremolata and bread crumbs on top. That really was a great idea! I will make this again!






  12. This was fabulous- we served over our hand rolled cavatelli and topped with roasted panko, gremolata and shiitake. For the sauce I omitted the oil and added a pinch of red pepper flakes.






  13. This might just be the best pasta I’ve ever made — and I make/eat a lot of great pasta. SO delicious. It’s perfectly rich and creamy and filled with umami.

    Do not skip out on the toasted panko and gremolota. They both added so much flavor and texture to the already amazing sauce.

    I made two heaping cups of pasta (more than recipe called for) and still had a full mason jar of leftover sauce. Looks like I’m going to have to make a second batch!

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂






  14. Tasty sauce with a hint of sweetness, something different than the regular pasta sauce. Love the miso taste. Used it over ravioli and left 1/4 of it unpureed for a bit of bite.






  15. Hi! I really want to try this recipe but we dont have miso available in the supermarkets. Is there a substitute for it? thanks xx

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