Description

Vegan Kung Pao Pasta is a flavorful fusion dish combining the spicy, savory elements of traditional Kung Pao sauce with tender pasta and sautéed vegetables. This recipe features a tangy, umami-rich sauce made from soy sauce, chili bean paste, and Szechuan peppercorns, tossed with linguine or spaghetti, mushrooms, bell peppers, and crunchy roasted cashews or peanuts, making it a satisfying vegan meal with a perfect balance of heat, acidity, and nuttiness.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup water
1.5-2 tbsp sugar (adjust according to desired sweetness)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark mushroom soy sauce (optional for colour)
1 tbsp doubanjiang (or chili bean paste)
2 tsp Chinese black vinegar (or Chinkiang vinegar)
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or other rice wine like sake, optional)
1/2-1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns (crushed)

Thickening Slurry

1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp room temperature water

Pasta & Vegetables

4.5 oz dry pasta of choice (linguine or spaghetti recommended)
Salt (to taste)
Olive oil (for cooking and adding to pasta water)
1 tbsp neutral oil (for cooking)
1/2 small onion (diced)
2 scallions or green onions (sliced into 2″ (5 cm) pieces, white and green parts separated)
1 cup chopped mushrooms (king oyster mushrooms recommended, plus more for topping, optional)
1/2 small red bell pepper (diced)
3 dried chiles (arbor chiles optional)

For Garnish

Roasted cashews or peanuts
Green parts of the scallions or green onions
Drizzle of sesame oil

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Instructions

Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, mix together the water, sugar, soy sauce, dark mushroom soy sauce (if using), doubanjiang or chili bean paste, Chinese black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, and crushed Szechuan peppercorns. Adjust the sauce according to your preferred level of sweetness and spiciness.
Make the cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and room temperature water, stirring until smooth. Set aside this slurry and the sauce mixture.
Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the pasta and cook until al dente or chewy as preferred. Drain the pasta and reserve some pasta water for later use.
Sauté vegetables and aromatics: Heat a pan over medium heat and add neutral oil. Sauté the diced onion, the white parts of the scallions, diced red bell pepper, and chopped mushrooms until tender. Add the dried chiles if using to infuse heat.
Combine with sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan with the vegetables. Allow it to simmer over medium heat until it starts boiling.
Add pasta and thicken sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Re-stir the cornstarch slurry to ensure there is no settling, then pour it over the pasta. Stir and cook on medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta evenly.
Finish and season: Let the pasta cook a few more minutes to absorb the sauce. Stir in roasted cashews or peanuts, the green parts of the scallions, and drizzle sesame oil. Taste and season with additional salt or sugar if needed. Add pasta water if reheating later, as the pasta will absorb more sauce while cooling.
Serve: Turn off heat and garnish with additional pan-fried mushrooms if desired. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy your saucy, umami-packed Vegan Kung Pao Pasta!

Notes

This Kung Pao Pasta is incredibly saucy and umami-rich, offering a satisfying vegan twist on the classic Chinese flavors.
You can customize the dish by adding more vegetables or different varieties of mushrooms according to your preference.
Doubanjiang (chili bean paste) provides authentic flavor, but can be substituted or adjusted for spice tolerance.
If reheating, add reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce as the pasta continues to absorb moisture while cooling.
Using dark mushroom soy sauce adds color without affecting flavor significantly.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 406 kcal
Sugar: 15 g
Sodium: 689 mg
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 69 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 12 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg