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You are here Home » "Kitchen Sink" Pasta with Sunflower Seed Alfredo Sauce

19 Comments · April 8, 2015

"Kitchen Sink" Pasta with Sunflower Seed Alfredo Sauce

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Comforting Kitchen Sink Pasta with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli and Vegan Sunflower Seed Alfredo

Having recently stopped by Miami for a quick alma mater visit, I was reminded of a salad that used to be on the menu at a little café in the quaint college town. It was aptly named Everything But The Kitchen Sink, and it had a slew of ingredients and flavors all tossed into one salad. I only ordered that salad once, because there was another dish on the menu that always nabbed my attention, but I've always appreciated the idea of a little bit of everything in one dish.

With that idea in mind, this pasta was born. It's comforting, hearty, and comes together fairly effortlessly with a little bit of chopping, sautéing, blending, and boiling. I feel like that actually makes it sound a bit fussy, but I promise it's not.

You'll start by throwing fresh broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, and lacinato kale (a milder member of the kale family) into a pan with a bit of olive oil. However, this recipe is about flexibility rather than precision, so you can actually toss any veggies you prefer into the pan. Cook that mixture for about 20 minutes or until tender, and then stir in the quartered artichoke hearts to warm them throughout. While the veggies are sautéing, get your pasta cooking. I like to use brown rice rotini for this dish but you could also use fusilli, rigatoni, penne, etc.

My absolute favorite part of this dish is the creamy sunflower seed alfredo sauce. It comes together in a pinch and has a great balance of creamy and tangy flavors. To make it, you'll soak raw sunflower seeds in water for just 20 minutes and  blend them with water, nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper. The result is similar to this hemp seed alfredo sauce except it's nut-free and relies solely on inexpensive, easy-to-find sunflower seeds for the base.

Once the pasta has been drained, add it back to the pot along with the vegetables and alfredo sauce. Toss to coat, adjust seasoning, dish it out, and cozy up with this randomly-beautiful pasta.

Comforting Kitchen Sink Pasta with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli and Vegan Sunflower Seed Alfredo

Comforting Kitchen Sink Pasta with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli and Vegan Sunflower Seed Alfredo

Comforting Kitchen Sink Pasta with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli and Vegan Sunflower Seed Alfredo

Comforting Kitchen Sink Pasta with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli and Vegan Sunflower Seed Alfredo

Comforting Kitchen Sink Pasta with Artichokes, Tomatoes, Kale, Broccoli and Vegan Sunflower Seed Alfredo
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5 from 4 votes

"Kitchen Sink" Pasta with Sunflower Seed Alfredo

To make this "kitchen sink" pasta, you'll start by throwing fresh broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, and lacinato kale (a milder member of the kale family) into a pan with a bit of olive oil. Cook the mixture for about 20 minutes or until tender, and then stir in quartered artichoke hearts. While the veggies are sautéing, get your pasta cooking. I like to use brown rice rotini for this dish but you could also use fusilli, rigatoni, penne, etc. My absolute favorite part of this dish is the creamy vegan sunflower seed alfredo sauce. It comes together in a pinch and has a great balance of creamy and tangy flavors. To make it, you'll soak raw sunflower seeds in water for just 20 minutes and blend them with water, nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper. The result is similar to this hemp seed alfredo sauce except it's nut-free and relies solely on inexpensive, easy-to-find sunflower seeds for the base.
Course Pasta
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Sunflower Seed Alfredo Sauce

  • ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
  • â…” cup water
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pasta

  • 10 ounces brown rice rotini, cooked according to instructions, ½ cup pasta water reserved
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 broccoli stalks, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
  • 1 head lacinato kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 (14- ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Sunflower Seed Alfredo Sauce

  • Add the sunflower seeds to a small bowl, and pour hot water over them. Allow them to soak for 20 minutes. Drain.
  • Add the sunflower seeds and all other alfredo ingredients to a high-powered blender. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until smooth.

Pasta

  • Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the kale, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, sea salt, and black pepper. Cook for 18-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the artichoke hearts at the end, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour the sunflower seed alfredo over the pasta and toss to coat. Add in a small amount of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Add the cooked vegetables, and gently stir to incorporate.
  • Divide between bowls, and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Emma says

    April 08, 2015 at 4:45 pm

    I'm crazy about artichokes - combine them with some more of my favourite veggies, pasta and a creamy sauce and I'm sold! Can't wait to try this one Ashley :)

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      April 09, 2015 at 8:54 am

      We are on the same page, Emma, as I'm a total artichoke nut! Even when I was little, I would eat them straight from the can, so it's a longstanding addiction :) I hope you enjoy this recipe!

      Reply
  2. Ariana says

    April 09, 2015 at 1:11 am

    5 stars
    I love artichokes and this pasta recipe is really good and tasty my family love't. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      April 09, 2015 at 8:56 am

      So happy to hear you and your family enjoyed it, Ariana. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your feedback!

      Reply
  3. Celeste Jackson says

    April 09, 2015 at 10:10 am

    5 stars
    I am intrigued by the sunflower alfredo sauce...will definitely be adding this to my grocery list.

    Reply
  4. Celeste Jackson says

    April 11, 2015 at 11:36 am

    5 stars
    We made this last night for a dinner party...rave reviews from everyone! Great flavor, texture and pretty in the bowl. Great recommendation to add the reserved pasta water to the sauce! Thanks for a wonderful addition to our menu!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      April 17, 2015 at 12:35 pm

      Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm glad everyone enjoyed it and that the addition of the pasta water was helpful. It's amazing what a difference it can make when added to sauces, and it's a lifesaver in sticky-pasta situations.

      Reply
  5. Samuel says

    March 01, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    When you called the place "quaint", did you mean like weird or nice?

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      March 01, 2016 at 1:13 pm

      No, more like old-fashioned and charming."having an old-fashioned attractiveness or charm; oddly picturesque."

      Reply
  6. Celeste Jackson says

    June 09, 2016 at 7:40 am

    I made this for dinner last night... The sauce is so creamy and the combination of ingredients so flavorful. Highly recommend this for even non-vegan appetites! Very satifying yet you don't feel overly full like traditional sauces.

    Reply
  7. Donna V says

    March 05, 2017 at 1:30 am

    Hello Ashley!
    I am looking for a GF DF NF and grain free creamy sauce for a casserole. Does the alfresdo sauce bake?
    I am more vegetarian so looking to use as a dairy substitute in a fish pie that is potato based.

    I am gonna try on some pasta. :)

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      March 05, 2017 at 2:45 pm

      Hi, Donna! I'm not sure how this sauce bakes up. For a super flavorful, garlicky sauce, I'd recommend trying the one from my more recent post for Vegan Creamy Garlic Lemon-Pepper Pasta. Haven't baked with that one before but have a feeling it would work nicely. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Donna V says

        March 07, 2017 at 1:33 am

        OMG! AH-MAZING! On quinoa/rice spaghetti pasta tonight. I restrained myself and I actually have some leftover alfredo sauce to experiment with baking.......

        Thank you for a great way to enjoy pasta again!

        Reply
  8. Andy Moore says

    August 23, 2017 at 9:46 pm

    any advice for:
    -adding cashews?
    -doubling yield!

    Excited to try!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 23, 2017 at 11:03 pm

      Hi, Andy! You can swap out the sunflower seeds for raw cashews in the sauce. Haven't tried doubling the recipe myself, but it should work just fine. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Julie says

    December 20, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    I roasted the veg in the oven, added a little white wine to the sauce, and omg, heaven!! Thank you so much for the recipe!! :)

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 23, 2019 at 12:51 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Love the idea of adding a little white wine to the sauce—will be trying that myself next time.

      Reply
  10. LAURA E CONANT says

    April 01, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    5 stars
    This was so good!I used asparagus and mushrooms for the veg and sautéed the garlic with them because I forgot to add it to the blender. Thank you so much!!!!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      April 07, 2021 at 10:12 am

      So glad you enjoyed it, Laura! Thanks for taking the time to come back and share your thoughts, adjustments, and rating. Means so much. :)

      Reply

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