A Creamy Plant-Based Pasta Recipe That's Pure Genius

I’m not a vegan, but sometimes my body craves a plant-based meal, one that I know is packed with fiber and will be digested easily. Another craving I just can’t quit? Pasta, pasta, pasta!
To make these two come together in a truly nourishing dish, it’s important to include some kind of quality protein. Without it, I become a bottomless pasta pit … can I get an "amen"?
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In this recipe, white beans offer a one-two healthy punch, by providing ample protein as well as a creamy, satisfying texture.
The antiviral property of garlic and kale’s array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants make this dish an immune-booster as well. Especially when you factor in my addictive anti-inflammatory Turmeric “Parmesan.”
This pasta dish is healthy comfort food at its best — you’ll truly feel like you’re indulging in something special. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to throw together and it tastes even better the next day!
Protein-Packed Creamy Kale Pasta With Turmeric “Parmesan”

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 8ounce box spaghetti of choice (I used brown rice pasta)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon mild white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 packed cups lacinato kale, de-stemmed and chopped into 1-inch-thick ribbons
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Preparation
1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with olive oil. Set aside.
2. In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine beans, garlic, tahini, almond milk, miso paste, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Add 1¼ cups sauce to a large sauté pan and heat to medium-low. Once sauce is warmed thoroughly, add kale. Allow kale to soften and begin to wilt, approximately 2 minutes, stirring gently.
4. Add noodles and toss everything together. Add more sauce at this point if you desire. Serve with red chili flakes and Turmeric “Parmesan.”
Turmeric “Parmesan”
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
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Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until it forms a Parmesan-like texture. Keep sealed at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
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Laura Lea Bryant is a Certified Health-Supportive Chef in Nashville, TN. She graduated from The Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI) in 2013. Laura Lea published her first & best-selling cookbook in 2017, The Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook. Her second book, Simply Laura Lea, came out in 2020. Laura Lea based her business, Laura Lea Balanced, in her hometown to Nashville. The goal of LL Balanced is to dispel common misconceptions of healthy eating with her simple, comfort-food inspired and family-friendly recipes. In addition, she hopes to increase awareness about the relationship between food and mental, emotional and physical health.