Ramson pasta recipe with nut parmesan and greens

  • 2

    Serving

  • Prep time

    Prep Time 20'

  • Prep time

    Total Time 25'

  • Prep time

    Easy

  • Prep time

    Vegan

recipe banner
  • 2

    Serving

  • Prep time

    Prep Time 20'

  • Prep time

    Total Time 25'

  • Prep time

    Easy

  • Prep time

    Vegan

Feral garlic

We have just become acquainted with wild garlic leaves, or ramsons, as a cooking ingredient and are completely infatuated. If, like us, you love leeks, chives, onions, and garlic, you’re sure to appreciate the subtler, more feral flavour in this vegan pasta recipe. In addition, there’s a slight sweetness to ramsons, and the taste is less overpowering than cultivated garlic. Ramson pesto has a warmer quality. This vegetable is one of the easiest and safest to forage for in rural and urban settings. In the same vein, along with bluebells, it is an ancient woodland indicator plant.

Wild garlic has been enjoyed for hundreds of years; the flavoured milk produced by cows fed on wild garlic was used to make a butter that was widely enjoyed in 19th-century Switzerland. But this is a vegan recipe! So how about this tidbit: soldiers in the First World utilised the antiseptic properties of wild garlic.

Although we have opted to use broccoli in this recipe, you could also try asparagus. If you like your vegetables more strongly flavoured or if you are in the mood for something slightly more comforting, delicately stir-fry the vegetables and herbs in a healthy oil like rapeseed, then add a bit of the pasta water at the end to loosen the ingredients. 

Beautiful lemon

The lemon in this recipe brings a cleansing astringency that is backed up solidly by science. Lemon juice helps the digestive process along and actively supports bile formation, thus assisting the liver in the flushing of toxins from the body.(1) Along with other citrus fruits, lemons are also an incredible source of vitamin C, which does wonders not only for the immune system, but also for the aging of the skin.(2)(3)

Nutritional yeast: a vegan's best friend

As you may well know, parmesan and Gran Padano are made using calf rennet, an enzyme extracted from the lining of calf stomachs. Even if you eat milk, cheese and other animal products, parmesan and Gran Padano are not suitable for vegetarian diets.

Nut parmesan has been a wonderful solution for us. If you lean towards a plant-based diet and have not used nutritional yeast in your cooking, a whole new world will open up to you! These small, plain-looking flakes carry a rich depth of nutty, cheesy flavour that can be hard to access for vegans especially. After getting acquainted with this ingredient via this pasta recipe, you could try nutritional yeast on popcorn, and in soups or tofu scrambles to begin with.

If you are thinking about adding nutritional yeast to your larder after reading about its benefits for health, be sure to find out whether you are purchasing fortified or unfortified yeast. Fortified yeast has been enriched with nutrients, but these are supplements; we at Erbology are believers in food in its most natural state. So much contained in a seemingly simple vegan pasta recipe!

Ingredients

Pasta
  • 1 ½  cup whole grain fusilli (for the gluten-free option, use gluten-free fusilli)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 ½ cup steamed broccoli
  • 10 fresh ramsons / wild garlic leaves
  • 1-2 spring onions
  • 5-10 fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tbsp Erbology Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 lemon
  • Dash of black pepper
Nut parmesan
  • Cup raw cashews
  • 1 tbsp Erbology Organic Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp Erbology Organic Milk Thistle Powder

Here's how you make it

  1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water as per packaging instructions.
  2. While the pasta is boiling, start chopping the broccoli and ramsons. I like to chop them into small to medium sizes so they can stick to the pasta. Put aside in a bowl.
  3. In a food processor, add the cashews, salt, Erbology Organic Milk Thistle Powder and nutritional yeast. Pulse until finely crumbled, this should yield around 1 cup of nut parmesan. Scoop everything out and place in an airtight container, store in the fridge for up to 1-2 months.
  4. When pasta is ready, strain and rinse with cold water.
  5. Add pasta to your bowl with broccoli and ramsons. Add olive oil, a pinch of salt, and 2 tbsp nut parmesan. Squeeze half lemon and stir gently.
  6. From the other half lemon, cut slices and save them for garnishing.
  7. Finally, plate the pasta and garnish with mint leaves, a lemon slice and sprinkle some more nut parmesan. Absolutely delicious!
instagram

If you tried this recipe...

Share your experience with us. Leave a comment below or post a picture on Instagram, tag @erbologyofficial #erbology and get a chance to win a healthy treat from us.

More recipes

  • image24 Jan 2024

    How to make cauliflower rice

    Are you interested in trying out some cauliflower rice recipes but not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered! In this post we talk about how to make cauliflower rice, plus suggest some ideas for different ways you can serve it. We’ve also given this already-healthy dish an extra nutritional boost with the addition of barley grass. As well as adding flavor and color, this vibrant green powder brings a wealth of wellness benefits to your plate. Not bad for a humble young leaf!
  • image11 Jan 2024

    Creamy tortellini soup with spinach recipe

    This creamy tortellini soup with spinach is the ultimate comfort food. Warm, nourishing, and delicious, the dish oozes rustic charm. And because you’re making the entire meal by hand – including the pasta – you can easily customize it to your liking. Plus, we’ve given the soup an extra wellness boost with the addition of nutrient-packed chlorella powder.
  • image25 Oct 2023

    Curried pumpkin soup

    As autumn arrives, it’s the perfect time to whip up a deliciously creamy, wholesome, and piping-hot bowl of soup. And what better way to embrace the season than by putting pumpkin in the spotlight? To really up the comfort levels, this curried pumpkin soup is bursting with fragrant and warming spices. Plus, we’ve added a pinch of immunity-supporting reishi mushroom powder to boost your wellbeing as the temperature drops. This dish is like a cosy blanket for your mind, body, and soul!