I am so excited to share a recipe with nutritional yeast in it.  Some of you may be asking what the heck is that exactly and in a nut shell it is a (deactivated) yeast (probably goes without saying)  used as a flavor enhancer popular in vegan dishes due to it's "nutty", "cheesy" flavor.  Because vegans do not eat animal products, they are at risk for a vitamin B12 deficiency (this vitamin is only found in animal products).  Depending on the brand you buy, it may contain B12 which is a very helpful if dairy and meat has been completely eliminated from your diet.


This particular ingredient has been on my radar for quite some time because I'm a sucker for the funky stuff so I was happy to give this sauce a whirl. By roasting the red pepper beforehand, I was able to prepare this sauce in about 15 minutes after work. And although I am not vegan, I enjoy cooking vegan recipes and experimenting. It's so fun to think outside the box to recreate certain textures and flavors (such as creamy and cheesy in this case).

I kept the meal simple with noodles I already had in my pantry and some garlic bread. I also halved the recipe because it's just the two of us, but I will provide the full recipe below.

Have you tried nutritional yeast in recipes?  If not, I hope the next time you are browsing the bulk bins at your local grocery store you buy a little! You don't even have to cook with it..it's supposed to be deeeeelish when sprinkled on popcorn, plain pasta, or basically in any scenario where you might find yourself saying ..

"You know what this needs?"

 "Cheese."

Hope everyone has been having a good week! It's almost the weekend. AHHH!

I know what you're thinking and yes.. that is real cheese on my bread. Can't put anything past you!

Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Recipe by Minimalist Baker 

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
• pinch of red pepper flakes*
• salt and pepper

1.  Wrap bell peppers in foil and roast  at 500 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.  Once cooled, peel away the skin, stem, and seeds.  (You can do this step beforehand to make things quick or while these are cooking, work on the pasta/onion and garlic).

2.  Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil, salt, and pepper until browned.  

3. Once cooked, put into blender along with the rest of the ingredients.  Add plenty of seasonings to balance out the natural sweetness of the roasted red pepper.and you want the sauce to be flavorful, not bland.

4.  Blend until smooth and fully incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

5.  Pour sauce into a skillet on low heat, stirring until thickened. 

6.  Serve over pasta.  

*Totally optional but totally recommended