RECIPE: Creamy Spinach Bow Tie Pasta Salad {Vegan}

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 4 ounces Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Whole Grain Bow Tie Pasta
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• Onion, diced in big chunks (I used half of a small red onion)
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced in big chunks
• Half a block of extra-firm tofu, pressed, drained and cubed
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1/2 teaspoons dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 cup diced red onion
• 4 ounces haricots vert, diced finely
• Dash of dill week, to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Chopped baby spinach leaves, for a garnish

Instructions

1. Make pasta according to the directions on the package. When finished, drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, and set aside.
2. Begin making the cream sauce by bringing the vegetable stock, onion and garlic to a boil in a medium saucepan.
3. Add tofu and bring back to a boil.
4. Add spinach, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the cooked tofu and spinach from the saucepan to a high-speed blender (I used a Vitamix), cover tightly, and blend for 30 seconds to a minute. (If you double and/or increase this recipe, be sure to blend in small batches, 2 – 3 cups at a time.) Store the leftover “cream” sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days.
6. This will make about 3 cups of sauce. Pour 2 cups of sauce over the cooked, rinsed and drained pasta. Stir in the salt, dill, chopped onion and haricots vert.
7. Add a pinch of dill weed, pour into a bowl with an airtight lid and refrigerator for at least two hours.
8. Once chilled, serve with fresh ground black pepper and garnish with a few chopped baby spinach leaves.

I hope you love this salad as much as I do!