Vegan Penne alla Rosé

Name: Vegan Penne alla Rose
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: pot of water for the pasta; 1 pound penne pasta whole wheat (you can also use GF pasta); 1/2 cup rose wine, preferably vegan; 1 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 cloves garlic (chopped); 1 medium onion (chopped); 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (I like Whole Foods Organic brand); 3/4 salt to taste; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup fresh basil (julienned); 1 cup canned coconut milk (I like Chaokoh brand); for garnish fresh basil (julienned)

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Vegan Penne alla Rosé with step by step photos. A twist on a vegan penne alla vodka, this scrumptious pasta tastes as good as the real thing, you won't be able to tell the difference. A total crowd-pleaser.

Rate the Relationship

In honor of Mr. Honey's Birthday Weekend, I thought I'd share a story on our weekly "relationship check-ins." When my husband and I first got married, I thought it was important to have weekly discussions on how things were flowing between us, specifically speaking, what was working and what wasn't working. Obviously, this was to ensure we were both happy.

I knew that moving to California was not going to be easy for me, so the weekly check-ins were especially important to me. I didn't want us to lose sight of what was most important in our marriage - us.

So each week, Mr. Honey and I would play this game called, "Rate the Relationship." That's the name I came up with. Most (not all) weeks, I'd give our relationship a nine, and he would give it a seven.

The Conversation

Me: A seven!!! How can you give our relationship a seven when I'm giving it a nine? Something is amiss.
Mr. Honey: Nisha, you give our relationship a nine every week. I don't know what type of relationships you've been in if this is a nine for you. You are not easy babe.
Me: This is the "healthiest" relationship I've been in so it's a nine for me. What do we really fight about besides food?
He: lol

One time I gave our relationship a three. Yeah, he got worried.

We no longer do weekly check-ins, but rather monthly. When it comes to a relationship, I think it's important to touch base to see where you and your partner stand. If we treated our personal relationships similar to our work relationships with the same amount of attention and care, I think many of us would have more successful relationships.

This weekend is Mr. Honey's Birthday Weekend so I thought I'd share a lightened up version of my Penne alla Vodka - Vegan Penne alla Rosé. This pasta tastes no different than the real thing, even without cheese and heavy cream. Can you believe it? I used canned coconut milk to replace the heavy cream, and believe me you can't taste the coconut flavor whatsoever. I hope you guys try this. It's amazing... Mr. Honey said so himself.

vegan penne alla rosé is:

Vegan
Made with Whole Wheat Pasta
Gluten-Free (use GF pasta)
Creamy
Scrumptious
10 Ingredients
As good as the Real Thing
Healthier Penne alla Vodka
30 Minute Meal
Hubby Approved

how to make vegan penne alla rosé recipe step by step?

Prep

1. Add crushed red pepper to rosé wine. Cover with a plastic wrap and set aside for about half an hour. Chop the onions and garlic.
2. Heat up a pot of water for the pasta.
3. Julienne basil leaves and set aside.

Make the rosé Sauce

1. Heat up a stainless steel pan (I love my All-Clad) on medium heat. Once hot, add oil followed by garlic and onions. Saute for about 3 minutes or until the onions turn golden.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes. Stir. Note: I prefer using NO SALT versions. You can easily find those at Whole Foods.
3. Carefully add all the crushed red pepper and rosé wine to the sauce. There shouldn’t be any flames, however, stand back when you add the rosé wine.
4. And then add fresh basil leaves, salt, and black pepper. Stir. Let this mixture simmer on low-medium heat for 15 minutes. Do not cover with a lid.

5. While the sauce cooks, make the pasta. Follow the instructions on the pasta box. You can use penne or rigatoni for this dish.

6. Once the sauce has simmered down, lower the heat all the way. Add coconut milk. I love Chaokoh brand which is thick and creamy.
7. Stir.
8. It turns into an orange-pink sauce.
9. Finally, add all the drained hot pasta. You may add a little bit of reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce slightly, however, don’t add more than a ¼ cup. This sauce is meant to be thick and creamy. Let the pasta heat up for a few minutes and then turn off the stove.

10. Garnish with more fresh julienne basil leaves. Enjoy with a glass of rosé wine. It’s so damn good and as good as the REAL THING.