Cajun Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce

Name: Cajun Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces pasta of your choice; 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegan butter); 8 ounces chestnut mushrooms (sliced); 3 garlic cloves (finely minced); ¼ cup water from boiling pasta; 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk; 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; ½ teaspoon dried sage; ¼ tablespoon Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon (optional) fresh parsley (finely chopped)

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Creamy Cajun coconut milk pasta sauce is my new favorite dinner dish. Filled with garlicky mushrooms and Cajun spices, it's healthy and delicious.

pasta with Cajun coconut milk sauce in a Dutch oven. — *pasta with coconut milk sauce*

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Ingredients
How To Make Pasta With Coconut Milk Sauce
Serving Suggestions And Variations
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Recipe

Does it taste like coconuts? That's what you're wondering, isn't it? The answer is no, it doesn't! The coconut milk acts as a substitute for double cream. It contributes a creamy base from which we'll add some delicious Cajun spices. I promise it's packed with rich savory flavor, none of which tastes of coconuts.

If you've tried my popular Spicy Miso Pasta With Fennel and Carrots or Creamy Lemon Tahini Pasta With Mushrooms, you'll know how much I love to get creative with pasta. And coconut pasta sauce is my newest creation.

We've had this recipe on repeat at my house. Everyone loves it!

Ingredients

Pasta: I used tagliatelle, but I've made this recipe with linguine and spaghetti as well. Use whatever pasta you have in your pantry.
Mushrooms: I used chestnut mushrooms, but a combination of woodland mushrooms is nice too.
Garlic: There's 3 cloves of garlic in this recipe. I love the combination of garlic and mushrooms.
Coconut Milk: Use the kind of coconut milk that comes in a can, not a carton. If you want to lighten this recipe up, you can use half light coconut milk and half full fat, but the sauce will be a little thinner than if you used all full fat. If you go this route, consider thickening the sauce a bit with a cornstarch slurry.
Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast adds a nice cheesy flavor.
Smoked Paprika: Used smoked, not regular paprika in this recipe. The flavor is totally different. Smoked paprika is ground chili peppers that have been dried over an oak fire. The flavor will be round and smoky.
Dried Sage: Earthy sweet sage is the perfect complement to the creamy coconut milk pasta sauce.
Dijon Mustard: Dijon adds a spicy little kick.
Cayenne Pepper: I've used a ½ teaspoon of cayenne in this recipe, and I don't find if too spicy, but please adjust according to your tolerance for heat.

You'll also need olive oil, salt and pepper and some reserved cooking water from the pasta.

pasta in a sauce pan. — *cooking the pasta*

How To Make Pasta With Coconut Milk Sauce

Cook The Pasta

Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the water.

mushrooms in saute pan. — *saute the mushrooms*

Cook The Mushrooms

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute fora further 30 seconds.

Make The Cajun Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce

Add the reserved pasta cooking water and coconut milk to the pan. With the lid off the pan, simmer the sauce for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Test the sauce to see if it's as thick as you like. If it's still not thick enough, carry on simmering it for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, sage, cayenne, Dijon mustard and salt. Stir to combine.

Cajun pasta with coconut milk sauce. — *Cajun pasta with coconut milk sauce*

Toss The Pasta In The Sauce And Serve

Toss your pasta with the sauce. Garnish with optional parsley.

Serving Suggestions And Variations

Sprinkle with vegan bacon bits or vegan parmesan cheese.
Add some roasted red peppers to the sauce.
Serve with a simple green salad with a vinaigrette dressing.
Instead of mushrooms, substitute sweetcorn and chopped red peppers.
Make it lighter by using half light coconut milk and half full fat coconut milk.
Make it gluten free by using a gluten free pasta.
Serve with a side of buttery vegan garlic knots.

Tips And Tricks

You can thicken this pasta sauce with a cornstarch slurry. Add one tablespoon cornstarch to two tablespoons water. Pour the slurry into the coconut milk pasta sauce and simmer until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. You will need to reduce the cooking time to 4-5 minutes.

Did You Make This Recipe?

If so, I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @thisdailydish. Or, leave me a comment below. It makes my day, and your feedback helps other readers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover pasta Cajun pasta in coconut milk sauce?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Can you freeze pasta with coconut milk sauce?

Yes, you can. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Defrost in the fridge.

Craving More Coconut Milk Dishes?

Healthy Mushroom Curry With Chickpeas

Vegan Lentil Bolognese

The Best Vegan Cheesecake - Coconut with Raspberry

Easy Aubergine And Chickpea Curry

Easy Vegan Dulce De Leche

Mung Bean Curry

Indian Pumpkin Curry

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