Spicy Lemon Pumpkin Pasta with Vegan Steak Strips

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, finely chop the hot pepper, and slice or dice the bell pepper.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the dry whole wheat pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve about 250 ml of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

3. 3

   While the pasta cooks, heat 20 ml of the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.

4. 4

   Add the garlic, hot pepper, and bell pepper. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly softened.

5. 5

   Add the pumpkin cubes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the pan becomes too dry.

6. 6

   In a separate pan, heat the remaining 10 ml olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegan steak-style seitan strips and sear for 3–5 minutes until browned and slightly crisp on the edges.

7. 7

   Add the cooked pasta to the pumpkin mixture. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and a little reserved pasta water to create a light, glossy sauce.

8. 8

   Fold in the seared vegan steak strips and toss everything together for 1–2 minutes until heated through and evenly coated.

9. 9

   Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, with extra black pepper or lemon zest if desired.