Description
A flavorful and spicy Vegan Kung Pao Pasta combining the bold and tangy tastes of traditional Kung Pao sauce with tender pasta and savory mushrooms. This dish is saucy, umami-rich, and perfect for a quick and satisfying vegan meal.
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 color)
- 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)
Slurry
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp room temperature water
Main Ingredients
- 4.5 oz dry pasta of choice (linguine or spaghetti preferred)
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (for cooking)
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 2 scallions or green onions (sliced into 2″ pieces, white and green parts separated)
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms (king oyster mushrooms recommended)
- 1/2 small red bell pepper, diced
- 3 dried chiles (arbor chiles, optional)
- Roasted cashews or peanuts (optional)
- Green parts of scallion or green onion (for garnish)
- Drizzle of sesame oil
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl, mix together water, sugar, soy sauce, dark mushroom soy sauce, doubanjiang, Chinese black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, and crushed Szechuan peppercorns. Adjust seasoning to your taste for the right balance of sweetness and spice.
- Make the Cornstarch Slurry: In a separate small bowl, combine cornstarch and room temperature water, stirring until the cornstarch is fully diluted. Set aside.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt and a splash of oil. Cook the pasta until al dente or chewy according to the package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta water for later use.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat a pan over medium heat and add neutral oil. Sauté diced onions, white parts of scallions, bell pepper, and chopped mushrooms until cooked through. Add dried chiles if using and sauté briefly to release their flavor.
- Add Sauce to Pan: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan with the vegetables. Allow it to simmer over medium heat until it starts boiling.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Stir the cornstarch slurry again to prevent settling and pour it over the pasta. Mix and cook for several minutes over medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta nicely.
- Finish and Season: Let the pasta absorb some sauce for a few more minutes. Stir in roasted cashews or peanuts, green scallion parts, and adjust salt or sugar as needed. If reheating later, add reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Serve: Turn off heat and optionally top with extra pan-fried mushrooms. Drizzle sesame oil before serving. Enjoy the pasta hot for best flavor.
Notes
- This Kung Pao Pasta is saucy and umami-rich, great with mushrooms or other mixed vegetables.
- Adjust the spice level by varying the amount of doubanjiang and dried chiles.
- You can swap doubanjiang for chili bean paste with similar flavor.
- Adding extra veggies and mushrooms can enhance the texture and flavor.
- Save some pasta water to loosen the sauce when reheating leftovers.
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
