This Penne with Crispy Brussels Sprouts is a simple vegan pasta that is loaded with garlic, shallot, red pepper flakes & herbs.
These penne pasta is beyond easy and the perfect weeknight meal when you need something comforting but also want to sneak in some tasty veggies. And yes, these crispy brussels sprouts are SO GOOD! If you think you aren’t a fan of brussels sprouts, then give this recipe a try. It will definitely change your mind 🙌
How to prep Penne with Crispy Brussels Sprouts
To make this tasty bowl, you just need a handful of ingredients (10 to be exact) and about 25 minutes. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and get to work on the sprouts.
Save yourself lots of prep time and just buy pre-shredded brussels sprouts. You can usually find them in the bagged salad section.
Now, the trick to crispy brussels sprouts is to not move them too much once they’re in the pan. So once you melt some vegan butter, add the sprouts with some salt & pepper, then give them a quick toss and let them be. After 3-5 minutes you should see the sides browning – that’s when you know it’s time to flip them.
After your sprouts are nice and crispy, add some garlic & shallot and let the flavors come together. At this point your pasta should be done. Grab some of that pasta water and then drain it.
How to finish Penne with Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Add the cooked pasta back to the empty pot and mix in some more vegan butter, lots of pepper, red pepper flakes, lemon juice & some of the pasta water. Give it all a good mix, then get ready for this goodness to come together.
Add the brussels sprouts mixture and some fresh herbs to the pasta and give everything a final turn. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes or pasta water. Now grab a fork and dig in.
How to bulk up Penne with Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Want to add some protein or fiber to this pasta? You can add a can of white beans or vegan chicken. You could also serve this with a black bean burger patty or falafel.
However you serve this, be prepared to not have any leftovers!
Need more recipe inspo? Check these out:
Penne with Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne dry
- 4 tbsp vegan butter separated
- 4 cups shaved brussels sprouts loosely packed
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic diced
- 1 small shallot diced
- red pepper flakes optional
- lemon juice to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs I used parsley & basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tbsp of vegan butter in a pan over medium high heat. Add the brussels sprouts and a pinch of salt & pepper to the pan. Lower the heat to medium and spread the brussels sprouts out in an even layer. Allow them to cook, untouched, for 3-5 minutes or until crispy on one side. Flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the olive oil, garlic & shallot to the brussels sprouts and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water, and add the pasta back to the pot you cooked it in. Add the remaining vegan butter, lots of pepper, lemon juice, some of the pasta water and red pepper flakes to the hot pasta. Toss to combine.
- Add the brussels sprouts and fresh herbs to the pasta and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You may need to add more salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, pasta water or lemon juice.
- Serve the pasta in 4 bowls and top with more fresh herbs.
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Nutrition
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Made this for dinner and even my meat, fish and poultry loving boyfriend loved it 😊 I added in pine nuts for a little extra savory-ness but made the rest of the recipe the same and it was DELICIOUS! This will definitely be added to the dinner rotation!
Woo – so glad it was a hit!
This looks amazing! Also I love all your cookware can I have it?