Vegan One Pot Taco Spaghetti – Ready in about 30 Minutes! Cheesy, creamy, and packed with spicy taco flavor. It’s hearty, filling, and super easy to make. Plus, it’s vegan! Your new go-to Vegan Spaghetti bowl.

I have been very busy in the kitchen experimenting and I’m super excited about the dishes that I have been creating lately.

Most of them are unique but full of flavor, like my Jamaican Jerk Butternut Squash Fries, Gluten-Free Black Bean Pizza, and this delicious Vegan One Pot Taco Spaghetti.

It is so easy to prepare and full of flavor. It is the perfect dish for a busy weeknight or lunch.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE DETAILED LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND STEPS, TO PREPARE THIS VEGAN ONE-POT TACO SPAGHETTI. BUT DO NOT MISS OUT ON READING THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THE BLURB.

Pigeon Peas

This Vegan One Pot Taco Spaghetti recipe also has a special ingredient and it is pigeon peas. Pigeon peas are a legume that is popular in Asia, Africa, South America, and the Caribbean.

Pigeon peas are very nutritious and they have a lot of health benefits. They are high in protein, fiber, folate, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. They contain important amino acids namely methionine, lysine, and tryptophan.

• Methionine – Important for cell function, fights free radicals in the body, improves wound healing, and protects the liver.
• Lysine – Known to treat cold sores, reduce anxiety, and prevent herpes.
• Tryptophan – Known for its beneficial relief of depression, anxiety, irritable bowel disease, and insomnia.

Growing up in Jamaica, my mom always planted pigeon peas. She would use it to make traditional rice and peas similar to my Jamaican Rice and Peas recipe.

Fortunately, it can be found in most mainstream supermarkets here in the US in the International aisles. It is sold canned, frozen, or dried. I’m happy that pigeon peas can be grown here in Florida. I hope to grow some this year.

Somehow the taste reminds me of brown/green lentils. So you can substitute cooked brown or green lentils in this recipe.

Walnuts Nutritional Profile

I used the pigeon peas with walnuts as a meat substitute.  Walnuts have a crisp texture as well as a plethora of nutrients. 

Walnuts are high in protein and polyunsaturated fats. They have a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been connected to a variety of health advantages. 

Walnuts are also a good source of different vitamins and minerals. Copper, folic acid, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and vitamin E are just a few of these essential nutrients.

Walnuts have been associated with a variety of health benefits. They’ve been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and cancer, as well as better brain functionality. Therefore they should be part of your regular diet.

Why Will You Like This Recipe?

• One-Pot Taco Spaghetti is a simple, easy vegan pasta recipe that can be made in one pot. Just throw everything in a pot and let it do all the work for you. There are no separate pots or pans to wash after dinner.
• This is one of my favorite meals to make on hectic weeknights because it uses all pantry ingredients (no trips to the store).
• It’s quick and easy to make (it only takes about 30 minutes).
• It’s a great recipe for those nights when you want something hot, hearty, and filling with minimal time spent in the kitchen.
• The sauce is made with onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, pigeon peas, and walnuts, and seasoned with cumin, Cayenne pepper, paprika, oregano, salt, and liquid aminos. It’s so delicious!
• It’s a delicious high-protein vegan meal that everyone will enjoy! It is so tasty that even meat-lovers won’t mind digging into this yummy dish!
• It’s also very kid-friendly! If you have kids that are picky about eating, this recipe is for them! The pasta and pigeon peas provide a ton of protein and fiber that will keep them full and satisfied until their next meal.
• Sometimes you need some comfort food and this fits the bill.
• This dish is adaptable and can be prepared with any pasta or add-ins you choose. (For example, fresh tomatoes, maize, and beans.)
• It makes great leftovers. This recipe’s leftovers keep well in the fridge.
• It’s perfect for meal prepping because it tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to meld together!

Ingredients Description

• Walnuts: This gives your Taco Spaghetti the ideal bite when processed in a food processor.
• Pigeon Peas: This dish can be made with either fresh, canned, or dried pigeon peas. You can substitute cooked brown or green lentils or black-eyed peas as well in this recipe.
• Olive oil: I have used olive oil for this recipe. It is loaded with healthy fats and is a perfect choice. In place of olive oil, use melted vegan butter. It’s really delectable!
• Onion: Feel free to substitute white, yellow, and red onions for the recipe, though I love yellow onions.
• Garlic: As for garlic, you simply can’t miss the garlicky flavor! If you don’t have fresh ones you can use dried ones.
• Cumin: The addition of cumin seeds adds a touch of warmth and earthiness to the dish.
• Paprika: The flavor of paprika is sweet and spicy. It’s a great way to add some smokiness and heat to your dishes.
• Dried oregano: The lovely green herb imparts a pleasant, somewhat unexpectedly earthy flavor to a variety of dishes. Oregano has a strong, earthy flavor with a faint bitterness typical of the aromatic organic component camphor.
• Cayenne pepper: Although optional, I have used cayenne pepper to add a little bit of heat to the sauce. You can, however, use scotch bonnet pepper or red chili powder as per your liking.
• Bragg’s liquid amino: Made from soya bean, this sauce will fulfill the need for protein. It is a crucial ingredient in vegan recipes, and I simply love it. It is also gluten-free, so no worries there. You can also substitute it with coconut aminos, or Tamari sauce
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste is umami-rich. It is a great cheap way to thicken, add color, and flavor to pasta sauces, soups, stews, and other semi-liquid dishes. To avoid an excessive tomato flavor or an acidic edge in the sauce, don’t add too much.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are an essential ingredient in this recipe. They not just add flavor but also give a prominent bright red color to the dish. You can use either fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes.
• Water
• Salt: A pinch of salt brightens everything up. Salts such as Himalayan pink Himalayan salt, sea salt, and table salt can all be used in this dish if desired. Whatever you’ve got on hand. Season with salt to your liking.
• Spaghetti: I used Brown Rice, but you can use any thin pasta or noodles you have in your pantry.

How To Make Vegan One Pot Taco Spaghetti?

• Place walnuts and cooked pigeon peas in a food processor, and pulse until crumbly but not smooth.
• Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add walnut/pigeon peas mixture, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and liquid aminos.
• Cook until mixture begins to brown, about 5 minutes, while stirring periodically.
• Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes, spaghetti, and water. Cover pot, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until spaghetti is al dente, about 20 minutes. Stirring in occasionally
• Delicious served warm with salad.

How To Store It?

This one-pot dish keeps for days in the refrigerator. Allow cooling completely before storing in an airtight container.

It also freezes wonderfully. If you want to freeze it, allow it to cool completely before freezing it in airtight containers. It can last up to two months.

Take it out of the freezer when you are ready to consume, let it come to room temperature, then reheat it in a pan or in the microwave.

Variations On Recipes

I truly think that this dish is amazing and delicious as is, but here are a couple of variations that would also work!

• Switch up the vegetables! You can add any vegetables you want. Bell peppers would go well with this dish.
• Bring up the flavors of the dish by adding beans or even corn.
• This recipe uses canned tomatoes for convenience but if you have some fresh ones on hand feel free to use those instead.
• Increase the heat! To add some extra spiciness to this recipe, use hot salsa or some chopped jalapeno.
• If you do not have any oil on hand, use one or two tablespoons of vegetable stock to sauté the vegetables in.

Notes And Pro Tips

• When substituting different types of pasta, be cautious. The cooking time and water-to-pasta ratio will vary depending on the type of pasta used. Because rotini, elbow macaroni, and small pasta shells cook rapidly, they’re ideal for taco pasta. Larger noodles, on the other hand, may take a little longer to cook thoroughly and may require additional water/liquid.
• Use whole-wheat pasta instead of standard white spaghetti to make the recipe healthier. It has more protein and nutrients. In this situation, the water ratio and cooking time will be adjusted.
• In an instant pot, pasta is normally cooked in half the time recommended on the package, with al dente pasta taking 1 minute. It works great with gluten-free pasta. To avoid overcooking the pasta, do a quick release after pressure cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I Half This Recipe?

Yes! It is a large dish as is, but it may easily be halved. Simply reduce everything in half; the only thing to notice is that I would still use a whole can of pigeon peas (mainly because you won’t waste half a can of peas that way unless you already have another option for use).

Also observe the cooking time, as it will be less due to the lower amount of liquid. After approximately 6-8 minutes of cooking, I would check on the covered spaghetti to see how it was doing.

Can This Taco Spaghetti Be Reheated?

Yes, but I’d like to make a recommendation!

If you’re reheating it after it’s been refrigerated, be sure to add some more liquid before putting it in the microwave or stovetop.

Splash the spaghetti with just enough water to lightly coat the section being reheated, and not so much that excess water collects at the bottom of the pan or the dish.

This will keep the spaghetti from drying out throughout the reheating process!

What Are Some Good Side Dishes For Taco Spaghetti?

I recommend a simple salad or vegetable side. Oven Roasted Zucchini and Squash,  Roasted Carrots and Parsnip, Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables, a vegan Spinach Salad, or Roasted Broccolini would pair nicely.

If you like and enjoy this recipe, please leave a comment to let me know your feedback.

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