Plant-Based Protein Rigatoni Alla Rossa
Protein that tastes like meat (without the meat)
- Wheat
- Milk
Craving the comfort of a hearty, saucy pasta, minus the meat? We’ve got you covered. Here, we swap in a ground plant-based protein, which we sauté with bell pepper and scallions, then simmer in a rich, creamy, herby tomato sauce. It’s tossed with al dente rigatoni noodles, then topped with Parmesan. Who needs the meat when you’ve got all that?
Ingredients
6 ounce
Rigatoni Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
9 ounce
Ground Plant-Based Protein
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese
1 unit
Tomato Paste
4 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 tablespoon
Italian Seasoning
2 unit
Scallions
1 unit
Bell Pepper
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. • Core, deseed, and dice bell pepper into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over mediumhigh heat. Add bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned and slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Add scallion whites and cook until softened, 1-2 minutes. Remove veggies from pan. • Return pan over medium-high heat with another large drizzle of olive oil; add plant-based protein*. Using a spatula, press into an even layer. Cook, without stirring, until browned on bottom, 3-4 minutes. Break up protein into pieces and continue cooking until browned all over and warmed through, 3-4 minutes more. Return veggies to pan and stir to combine.
• Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes. • Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
• While pasta cooks, stir Italian Seasoning, tomato paste, and 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4 servings) into pan with veggie mixture until combined. • Stir in cream cheese and ¾ cup plain water (1¼ cups for 4). Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sauce is combined and thickened, 1-2 minutes. • Reduce heat to low and stir in half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving). Season with salt and pepper.
• Add drained rigatoni and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) to pan with sauce; stir to coat. If needed, stir in reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide pasta between bowls. Top with scallion greens and remaining Parmesan. Serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many enjoyed the dish, with some unable to distinguish it from real meat. A few found the plant-based protein's taste unusual or off-putting.
- Ease of prep: Some had trouble cooking the plant-based protein, noting it was tough to break up or prone to burning.
- Suggestions: Consider reducing the protein amount and adding more vegetables for better balance. Try adding extra herbs or spices for deeper flavor.
- Portions: The dish was filling, with some finding it made multiple servings. Others felt the protein-to-pasta ratio was too high.
- Texture: Opinions varied on the plant-based protein's texture, with some finding it similar to meat and others describing it as mushy.
