Mardi Gras Pasta

Both my Best friend and I were raised by our grandmothers. Each of them were born in Louisiana and moved to the SF Bay Area with their families. We grew up eating a lot of traditional Cajun or New Orleans flavored dishes. One of our favorite dishes to eat before we transitioned into be vegan was Mardi Gras Pasta. It a tomato based Cajun pasta that usually has hella different seafood in it as well. Traditional Mardi Gras Pasta will have sausage, shrimp, sometimes chicken , and is usually flavored with the holy trinity (bell peppers, onions, celery).

We decided this week we would try to recreate the pasta and make the freaking best vegan version of it. Well guess what, we succeeded. Check out the recipe below.

COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES

SERVING SIZE: 4-6 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 CUPS OF VEGAN PENNE PASTA

1 CUP OF HEARTS OF PALM

1 CUP OF JACKFRUIT

2 CUPS OF COCONUT MILK

2 CUPS OF DICED FIREROASTED TOMATOES

1 PACK OF FIELD ROAST CHIPOTLE SAUSAGE (OR ANY OTHER PLANT BASED SAUSAGE)

1 CUP OF DICED MUSHROOMS

2 CELERY STALKS

1 RED BELLPEPPER

1 GREEN BELLPEPPER

½ OF WHITE ONION

½ CUP OF GREEN ONIONS

CAJUN SEASONING

ONION POWDER

GARLIC POWDER

SMOKED PAPRIKA

WHITE PEPPER

GROUND MUSTARD

KELP SEASONING

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a large pot with a pinch of salt and water.

2. Bring water to a boil on high heat.

3. Once water comes to a boil, add in vegan penne pasta.

4. Lower heat to medium heat and cover, let pasta boil until desired softness.

5. While pasta is boiling take a knife and dice onions, celery, bell peppers, and vegan sausage.

6. Heat a skillet with a pinch of oil on medium heat.

7. Add veggies and sausage. Cook veggies and sausage until they are browned.

8. Add seasoning to veggies and sausage and let them cook and saturate.

9. Once veggies and sausage are cooked, place them in a separate container.

10. Take boiled pasta and drain excess water. Once drained add to another container.

11. Take skillet and add diced tomatoes and coconut milk. Add seasonings to coconut and tomato mixture.

12. Let mixture simmer for 7-10 minutes into tomatoes become soft.

13. Take jackfruit and heart of palm pour contents into a bowl removing excess water.

14. Place jackfruit and hearts of palm on cutting board. Chop contents into smaller pieces.

15. Add jackfruit in a skillet and season hearts of palm with kelp seasoning to give it the seafood taste. (you can also marinate jackfruit and hearts of palm overnight for more flavor).

16. Cook jackfruit and hearts of palm until tender.

17. Once sauce mixture is ready, pour all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. SERVE!