I honestly didn’t know what to call this recipe since it is technically vegetarian, yet could be vegan if you eliminate the grated parmesan cheese or substitute it for a vegan version. In the end, I named it as you see above, since being Vegan is very much in vogue right now. I found this Hearts Of Palm pasta at Trader Joe’s, a while ago, and somehow it made its way to the back of our pantry. It wasn’t until recently, when we were filming easy recipes for my Instagram reels, that I dug it out. And I am glad that I did, because not only does it cook up in minutes, but it is delicious and so low calorie, that I would categorize it as “free food!” The good thing about this recipe is that you do not have to use only Hearts of Palm pasta. There is a plethora of gluten-free and vegan pasta such as Black Bean, Red Lentil, and Cauliflower to name just a few; and they are readily available at most grocery stores. They cook up quickly and easily with this recipe, and the best news is that you can cook the entire meal in one pot, making for the easiest clean-up ever!
Ingredients:
- 1 box of vegetable or protein-based pasta
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes in juice
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 bunch of fresh asparagus tips
- 1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock
- grated parmesan or vegan cheese (optional)
Directions:
- In a large stockpot, over medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes
- Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, stirring constantly so as not to burn it. Cook an additional 5 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, and asparagus tips and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the pasta and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.**Note: if using Hearts 0of Palm Pasta, cook only until mixed, since it is not packaged as dry pasta.
- Serve hot and add grated cheese if desired.
