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This creamy vegetarian fajita pasta is packed full of flavor, high in protein, and ready in just 15 minutes. It’s the perfect quick, one-pan dinner with plenty of vegetables and a wonderfully spicy, creamy sauce.
Ingredient Notes
The exact quantities of the ingredients you need for this recipe are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here, I’ve added a few notes on the ingredients you need, plus a few potential substitutions you could make if you can’t eat/find a certain ingredient.
- Pasta: In this recipe, I’ve used farfalle (bow-tie) pasta. However, do feel free to use whatever pasta shape you most prefer – penne, rigatoni, or even spaghetti would all work!
- Protein: This fajita pasta recipe uses vegan mince for the addition of protein and lots of flavor. However, you could use whatever protein you prefer (diced chicken or a vegan chicken alternative, fried tofu or tofu crumbles, or even black beans!
- Vegetables: We’ve used the classic fajita trifecta for this recipe: onion, red pepper, and green pepper.
- Seasonings: You could either use a store-bought fajita spice blend for this recipe, or if you have a lot of seasonings already, we use a combination of paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne chili pepper, and salt and pepper to taste!
- Sour Cream: A couple of scoops of sour cream help to make the sauce for your fajita pasta wonderfully creamy as well as giving it a slight tanginess. As an alternative, you could use a reduced-fat cream cheese, a splash of double cream, or some cashew cream to make this recipe vegan.
- Cheese: What would fajitas be without cheese?! A sprinkle of grated mature cheddar cheese, stirred in until melted and gooey, finishes off this delicious pasta dish perfectly.
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Other Toppings / Variations
The fun part of making a fajita pasta dish is that you can bring in a huge range of other elements familiar to fajita recipes to make this recipe truly extravagant. For example, you could:
- Add a pice de gallo (fresh tomato, diced red onion, cilantro, chilies)
- Top your pasta with sliced avocado or guacamole
- Substitute the pasta for Mexican crispy potatoes
- Add some hot sauce for a spicier dish
- Stir in some charred corn, black beans, and kidney beans to bulk up the dish
How To Make This Creamy Fajita Pasta
In the recipe card below, you can find the exact ingredient quantities and instructions for the fajita pasta recipe. Below is a brief overview to show you how this recipe comes together.
- Step 1) Cook Your Pasta:
- Cook the pasta according to your package instructions. We’ll cook the fajita sauce in another pan while the pasta cooks – but remember to reserve a cup of the pasta water before you drain it to add to the sauce!
- Step 2) Cook The Vegetables:
- Cook your onion and peppers in a little oil, for 5-6 minutes until they’re beginning to soften. Then, add your garlic and the vegetarian mince and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Step 3) Add Seasonings & Sauce:
- Next, add your fajita seasonings, the tomato paste, and the sour cream, and stir everything together to make a sauce. If it doesn’t seem very “saucy” at the moment, don’t worry – we’ll add the pasta water when adding the pasta which helps to bring everything together.
- Step 4) Add the Pasta:
- Finally, stir through your cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water, adding it bit by bit until you have a thick and creamy sauce and everything is fully combined. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese until melted.
Chef’s Notes
Top your fajita pasta with some parsley or chopped fresh cilantro to retain in keeping with the Mexican-vibe of this recipe. This isn’t the “sauciest” of pasta dishes, but if you do want more sauce, add more tomato paste and sour cream, and continue adding pasta water bit by bit until you’ve achieved your desired consistency. This fajita pasta has a mild spice, but you can add more cayenne pepper, some hot sauce, or diced jalapenos if you like a spicier flavor!
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Storing
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot. Only reheat pasta once.
FAQs
Is this fajita pasta spicy?
I would describe this recipe as being mildly spicy. If you are serving it to children, I would omit the cayenne chili pepper and add more spice to your own bowl if you wish. If you want more spice, increase the quantity of cayenne chili pepper or add some diced jalapenos!
Can I make this without the fake mince?
Yes, you could omit the vegan mince if you prefer for this recipe. Use whatever protein you like best!
Recipe FAQs
- → Is this fajita pasta spicy?
It has a mild kick from cayenne pepper, but you can easily adjust the heat by reducing or increasing the spice, or adding jalapenos or hot sauce.
- → Can I make it without vegan mince?
Yes! Swap in black beans, tofu, chicken, or your favorite protein, or leave it out entirely for a lighter version.
- → What pasta shapes work best?
Farfalle is ideal, but penne, rigatoni, or even spaghetti work just as well in this dish.
- → Can I make it vegan?
Absolutely. Use vegan sour cream and cheese or try cashew cream as a creamy alternative.
- → How do I store and reheat it?
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat once in the microwave until hot. Avoid reheating multiple times.
- → What toppings go well with it?
Try avocado slices, pico de gallo, guacamole, or a sprinkle of fresh cilantro to enhance the flavor.