HarissaPasta the Trefulp

Harissa is a hot chili paste from Northwest African region and has an incredible flavor! It’s packed with garlic, herbs, roasted red pepper and spices that give it a deep, unique flavor. You can use it in many ways , add to soups/stews, serve is as condiment, cook veggies or vegan meats with it and more. For this pasta I pair it with Italian herbs and a cream to make a delicious pasta sauce!

It pairs beautifully with cashew cream or tofu cream and spices. Mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper pepper give this harissa pasta lots of satisfying textures. And everything cooks in just 1 pan. It’s quick and easy clean up. It’s a plant-forward, weeknight meal that you’ll turn to again and again.


🍝 2 teaspoons oil
🍝 4 cloves garlic minced
🍝 1/2 cup chopped onion
🍝 4 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms
🍝 3 tablespoons harissa paste
🍝 1 teaspoon dried oregano
🍝 1 teaspoon dried parsley
🍝 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
🍝 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
🍝 2.5 cups water or stock
🍝 6 ounces spaghetti or other pasta of choice
🍝 1/2 teaspoon or more salt

To Add Later:

🍝 1/2 cup cashew cream or tofu cream (1/3 cup of cashews blended with 1/2 cup of water OR 1/2 cup silken tofu blended with 2 tbsp water)
🍝 3 tablespoons vegan parmesan

For Garnish:

🍝 chopped parsley
🍝 vegan parmesan


🍝 1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the garlic, onion, and a good pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent.

🍝 2. Then mix in the mushrooms and harissa paste and cook until the mushrooms are just about cooked. You can reserve some of the mushrooms for garnish at this point or continue with the next step.

🍝 3. Mix in all of the herbs and nutritional yeast. Then add in the bell pepper, water or stock and salt.

🍝 4. Let the liquid get boiling hot, then add the spaghetti and press it into the liquid. Cover with the lid and continue to cook for about 11 to 16 minutes, depending on your stove and the skillet and the spaghetti. Check after 10 minutes and stir really well so that noodles don't stick to each other. If you need more water, you can add some hot water at this point.

🍝 5. When the spaghetti is cooked to preference, add in the nondairy cream along with the vegan parmesan. Once the sauce is boiling, switch off the heat.

🍝 6. Taste carefully and adjust salt and flavor, then serve it in bowls topped with some more vegan parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you have reserved some of the mushrooms, add those now, as well.


🍝 Nut-free:Use the tofu cream option. Also make sure that your vegan parmesan is nutfree 

🍝 Soy-free: Use the cashew cream option instead of the tofu cream to make this soy-free. Also make sure that your vegan parmesan is soy-free

🍝 Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta 

🍝 More Protein: Top the pasta with some toasted pine nuts or crispy tofu or add some chickpeas to the pasta while cooking.