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December 15, 2016 By Stephanie McKercher, RDN

Easy Brussels Sprouts Penne from Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation

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I received a complimentary copy of Alexandra Caspero Lenz’s new cookbook, Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation for sharing my honest review and this brussels sprouts pasta recipe with you.  As always, all opinions are my own.

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

Alex writes in her introduction that “most of these recipes are 50-plus years in the making” and are “adaptations from the recipes passed down from both my mother and grandmother.”  This got me pretty excited because my husband and I love making pasta at home but, with our combination of Irish/Scottish and German roots, we are both sorely lacking in the authentic Italian Grandmother department.

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

You probably already know Alex and her delicious vegetarian recipes from her healthy food blog, Delish Knowledge.  If you aren’t familiar with her work, head over there as soon as you finish reading this post.  I promise you will go crazy for her recipes and mouthwatering food photography.  (I also love her nutrition philosophy – no depravation, shame or guilt with Alex!)

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

To be honest, I had no idea what to cook first after opening up Alex’s beautiful new cookbook for the first time.  Between the lentil bolognese, wild mushroom lasagna, and butternut mac and cheese, there were just way too many delicious options.  With the help of my husband, we finally settled on a brussels sprouts pasta dish that we thought sounded perfectly crunchy, spicy, and (best part) insanely easy to put together too.

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

And we were right.  This was probably the first pasta recipe I have ever followed that gave us the amount of heat we were seeking out.  (I used the entire jalapeño, seeds, membranes, and all.)  And can I just say, thank you, Alex, for calling for 6 cloves of garlic in your recipe?  I always thought I was just a garlic fiend but now I know that I’m not alone (and I won’t be cutting back to the standard 1-2 cloves out of fear of public ridicule any longer).

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

Another thing I loved about Fresh Italian Cooking is that Alex offers tons of vegan options and substitutions for making her recipes dairy-free.  I opted for her vegan parmesan cheese as a topping in this recipe and have been using it on everything else I’ve been eating since.

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

If you’re drooling over this easy brussels sprouts pasta dish – and the thought of lentil bolognese, wild mushroom lasagna, and butternut mac and cheese, go get Fresh Italian Cooking immediately!  (You can find it wherever books are sold…and remember, cookbooks make the best stocking stuffers!) 🙂

This healthy, delicious, easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Vegan!

Cozy up to this easy brussels sprouts pasta recipe + more on @delishknowledge new cookbook!Click To Tweet
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Easy Brussels Sprouts Penne (from Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation)
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Spicy jalapeño, crunchy brussels sprouts, and mushrooms combine to create this fiber-packed weeknight pasta meal that proves you can stay slim while eating pasta. Recipe from Alex Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking.
Course: dinner, entree, lunch
Cuisine: dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Author: Alexandra Caspero Lenz, RD
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces penne pasta I used whole wheat
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 sliced jalapeño
  • 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 8 ounces thinly sliced brussels sprouts
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese recipe below, may also use "regular" parmesan cheese if preferred/not vegan
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat large cast-iron or sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil, Add sliced jalapeño and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, brussels sprouts, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper and sauté until sprouts soften and then begin to crisp, about 5 minutes. Spread sprouts around pan and press down to flatten. Let sear for a minute and then stir and repeat. (This helps brown the sprouts to make them crispy. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan, you are aiming for crispy leaves!)
  3. Add the cooked penne to the pan and toss until everything is well mixed. Stir in lemon juice and (vegan) parmesan cheese, and serve.
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Vegan Parmesan Cheese (from Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation)
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 
Replace parmesan cheese to make a variety of recipes vegan and dairy-free with this vegan parmesan cheese recipe from Alexandra Caspero's Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation.
Course: condiment, Pantry
Cuisine: dairy-free, vegan
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Alexandra Caspero Lenz, RD
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a high-[powered blender or food processor and pulse until a fine meal forms.

What is your favorite way to cook pasta at home?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. vanessa says

    February 12, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    Ingredient list doesn’t show jalapeño. Just one whole one?

    Reply
    • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

      February 13, 2017 at 12:15 pm

      oh no, thanks so much for catching this and sorry for the confusion! Yes, its 1 whole sliced jalapeño – updating now! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lise says

    September 25, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    When does the garlic go in? Not clear in recipe.

    Reply
    • Stephanie McKercher, RDN says

      October 25, 2017 at 8:05 am

      Hi Lise, sorry for the confusion! I added the garlic with the jalapeño. Just updated the recipe now!

      Reply

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Hey there! My name is Stephanie McKercher. I'm a registered dietitian, recipe developer, and plant-forward food lover. read more...

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