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This Creamy Harissa pasta is a super quick, one-skillet meal. Harissa paste, nondairy cream, and just a few herbs combine to make a flavorful vegan dinner in just 1 Pan. Soyfree. Options for nutfree glutenfree.

finished harissa pasta in the skillet
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Harissa is a hot chili paste from Northwest African region and has an incredible flavor! It’s packed with garlic, herbs, roasted red pepper and spices that give it a deep, unique flavor. You can use it in many ways , add to soups/stews, serve is as condiment, cook veggies or vegan meats with it and more. For this pasta I pair it with Italian herbs and a cream to make a delicious pasta sauce!

It pairs beautifully with cashew cream or tofu cream and spices. Mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper pepper give this harissa pasta lots of satisfying textures. And everything cooks in just 1 pan. It’s quick and easy clean up. It’s a plant-forward, weeknight meal that you’ll turn to again and again.

close-up of harissa pasta with mushrooms and bell pepper in a white bowl

There’s protein in the wheat pasta as well as the blended cream. If you do want additional protein, though, you can top it with some toasted pine nuts or crispy tofu or add some chickpeas to the pasta while cooking. 

Why You’ll Love Harissa Pasta

  • flavorful, creamy sauce
  • one-skillet meal
  • Smells heavenly and looks gorgeous
  • soy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free options
  • 30-minute meal
fork taking a bite of harissa pasta with mushrooms and bell pepper in a white bowl

More Vegan Pasta Recipes

Creamy Vegan Harissa Pasta

5 from 13 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 3
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: fusion
This creamy Harissa pasta is a super quick, one-skillet meal. Harissa paste, nondairy cream, and just a few herbs combine to make a flavorful vegan dinner in just 1 Pan. Soyfree. Options for nutfree glutenfree.
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Ingredients 
 

  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons harissa paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 2.5 cups water or stock
  • 6 ounces spaghetti, or other pasta of choice
  • 1/2 teaspoon or more salt

To add later:

  • 1/2 cup cashew cream or tofu cream, (1/3 cup of cashews blended with 1/2 cup of water OR 1/2 cup silken tofu blended with 2 tbsp water)
  • 3 tablespoons vegan parmesan

For garnish:

  • chopped parsley, vegan parmesan

Instructions 

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the garlic, onion, and a good pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is translucent.
  • Then mix in the mushrooms and harissa paste and cook until the mushrooms are just about cooked. You can reserve some of the mushrooms for garnish at this point or continue with the next step.
  • Mix in all of the herbs and nutritional yeast. Then add in the bell pepper, water or stock and salt.
  • Let the liquid get boiling hot, then add the spaghetti and press it into the liquid. Cover with the lid and continue to cook for about 11 to 16 minutes, depending on your stove and the skillet and the spaghetti. Check after 10 minutes and stir really well so that noodles don't stick to each other. If you need more water, you can add some hot water at this point.
  • When the spaghetti is cooked to preference, add in the nondairy cream along with the vegan parmesan. Once the sauce is boiling, switch off the heat.
  • Taste carefully and adjust salt and flavor, then serve it in bowls topped with some more vegan parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you have reserved some of the mushrooms, add those now, as well.

Video

Notes

Nut-free:Use the tofu cream option. Also make sure that your vegan parmesan is nutfree 
Soy-free: Use the cashew cream option instead of the tofu cream to make this soy-free. Also make sure that your vegan parmesan is soy-free
Glutenfree: Use gluten-free pasta 
More Protein: Top the pasta with some toasted pine nuts or crispy tofu or add some chickpeas to the pasta while cooking. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 488mg, Potassium: 543mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 925IU, Vitamin C: 41mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
pasta, harissa paste, and other ingredients in bowls on a kitchen countertop

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • oil – To saute. You can water fry, if you don’t want to use oil. Harissa paste does contain oil, however, so this recipe would be very hard to make oil-free.
  • garlic and onion – These bring that good, umami flavor to the sauce.
  • mushrooms – Mushrooms add a little bit of meaty texture that makes this harissa pasta recipe super satisfying.
  • oregano and parsley – Extra herbs for extra flavor!
  • nutritional yeast – Gives the harissa sauce a mildly cheesy flavor.
  • bell peppers – enhanced the harissa flavor. Add other veggies for flavor, and crunch!
  • water or stock – This adds moisture to your sauce and is used to cook the pasta all in the same pot.
  • cashew or tofu cream – Choose your favorite! To make the cashew cream, blend cashews and water. For the tofu cream, blend tofu with a little water. Either way, you’re adding protein and creaminess to the harissa pasta sauce.
  • vegan parmesan – Boosts that cheesy flavor even more and is a great contrast to the heat of the harissa paste. You’ll add it to the sauce and use more for topping.
  • parsley – This brightens up the flavor and is the perfect finishing herb for this creamy, spicy pasta dish.

Tips

  • Leave all of the mushrooms in the pasta or reserve about a quarter to a third of them for garnish, if you want this to be more mushroom-forward.
  • Use store-bought vegan parmesan or my homemade vegan parmesan recipe for the cheese in this dish.
  • Make sure that you press the pasta really well into the liquid when you add it to the pan and stir it after about 10 minutes of cooking, so the spaghetti doesn’t clump up. You can add another splash of hot water, if you need to, to prevent sticking.

How to Make Harissa Pasta

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot add the garlic, onion, and a good pinch of salt.

sautéing the garlic and onion

Cook until the onion is translucent, then mix in the mushrooms and harissa paste and cook until the mushrooms are just about cooked. You can reserve some of the mushrooms for garnish at this point or continue with the next step. 

sautéing the garlic and onion, after cooking when they are golden
adding mushrooms and harissa paste to the pan
mushroom-harissa mixture in the pan, after cooking down

Mix in all of the herbs and nutritional yeast. Then add in the bell pepper, water or stock and salt.

adding nutritional yeast to the pan
spatula adding sliced bell peppers to the pan
veggies and harissa sauce mixture in the pan, after cooking

Let the liquid get hot, then add the spaghetti and press it into the liquid. Cover with the lid and continue to cook for about 11 to 16 minutes, depending on your stove and the skillet and the spaghetti.

spatula adding dry spaghetti to the pan of sauce

Check on the pasta after 10 minutes, and stir really well so that noodles don’t stick to each other. If you need more water, you can add some hot water at this point.

spaghetti in harissa sauce, after cooking

When the spaghetti is cooked to preference, add in the nondairy cream along with the vegan parmesan. Bring it to a boil, then switch off the heat. 

adding non-dairy cream to the harissa pasta

Taste carefully and adjust salt and flavor, then serve it in bowls topped with some more vegan parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you have reserved some of the mushrooms, add those now, as well.

harissa pasta in the frying pan, after stirring in the non-dairy cream

Frequently Asked Questions

What is harissa?

Harissa is a spicy, Northwest African chili paste. It has a spicy, smoky, garlicky flavor.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

You can make this gluten-free by using gluten-free spaghetti.

Can you make this soy-free?

Yes! Use the cashew cream option instead of the tofu cream to make this soy-free. Also make sure that your vegan parmesan is soy-free.

Can this be made nut-free?

It can! Use the tofu cream for a nut-free version. Also make sure that your vegan parmesan is nut-free.

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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5 from 13 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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30 Comments

  1. I says:

    5 stars
    Wonderful combination of flavours, delicious!! We have made it many times, one of our favourite pasta recipes

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome! Thank you so much for sharing.

  2. Christine Tetreault says:

    5 stars
    This was soooo easy and so full of flavour, with enough leftovers for dinner tonight. It’s going on regular rotation.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!!

  3. Lynn says:

    5 stars
    This was fabulous! Flavors are amazing! I can’t thank you enough for all of the hard work you put into your recipes. I never look anywhere else now! I have the everyday cookbook, and plan to get the Indian version soon. Thank you for making being vegan a gourmet experience!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Thank you for your kind words!

  4. Suleika van Zweeden says:

    5 stars
    Supereasy, tasy and yummie!!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Glad you enjoyed it!

  5. Shobhana says:

    Do you make your Harris’s paste? Please share

    1. Richa says:

      I don’t but there are several recipe online. Or use a harissa spice blend and add some chopped roasted red bell pepper