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This creamy vegetarian fajita pasta is packed full of flavor, high in protein, and ready in just 15 minutes. It’s the perfect quick, one-pan dinner with plenty of vegetables and a wonderfully spicy, creamy sauce.
Ingredient Notes
The exact quantities of the ingredients you need for this recipe are included in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here, I’ve added a few notes on the ingredients you need, plus a few potential substitutions you could make if you can’t eat/find a certain ingredient.
- Pasta: In this recipe, I’ve used farfalle (bow-tie) pasta. However, do feel free to use whatever pasta shape you most prefer – penne, rigatoni, or even spaghetti would all work!
- Protein: This fajita pasta recipe uses vegan mince for the addition of protein and lots of flavor. However, you could use whatever protein you prefer (diced chicken or a vegan chicken alternative, fried tofu or tofu crumbles, or even black beans!
- Vegetables: We’ve used the classic fajita trifecta for this recipe: onion, red pepper, and green pepper.
- Seasonings: You could either use a store-bought fajita spice blend for this recipe, or if you have a lot of seasonings already, we use a combination of paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne chili pepper, and salt and pepper to taste!
- Sour Cream: A couple of scoops of sour cream help to make the sauce for your fajita pasta wonderfully creamy as well as giving it a slight tanginess. As an alternative, you could use a reduced-fat cream cheese, a splash of double cream, or some cashew cream to make this recipe vegan.
- Cheese: What would fajitas be without cheese?! A sprinkle of grated mature cheddar cheese, stirred in until melted and gooey, finishes off this delicious pasta dish perfectly.
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Other Toppings / Variations
The fun part of making a fajita pasta dish is that you can bring in a huge range of other elements familiar to fajita recipes to make this recipe truly extravagant. For example, you could:
- Add a pice de gallo (fresh tomato, diced red onion, cilantro, chilies)
- Top your pasta with sliced avocado or guacamole
- Substitute the pasta for Mexican crispy potatoes
- Add some hot sauce for a spicier dish
- Stir in some charred corn, black beans, and kidney beans to bulk up the dish
How To Make This Creamy Fajita Pasta
In the recipe card below, you can find the exact ingredient quantities and instructions for the fajita pasta recipe. Below is a brief overview to show you how this recipe comes together.
- Step 1) Cook Your Pasta:
- Cook the pasta according to your package instructions. We’ll cook the fajita sauce in another pan while the pasta cooks – but remember to reserve a cup of the pasta water before you drain it to add to the sauce!
- Step 2) Cook The Vegetables:
- Cook your onion and peppers in a little oil, for 5–6 minutes until they’re beginning to soften. Then, add your garlic and the vegetarian mince and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- Step 3) Add Seasonings & Sauce:
- Next, add your fajita seasonings, the tomato paste, and the sour cream, and stir everything together to make a sauce. If it doesn’t seem very “saucy” at the moment, don’t worry – we’ll add the pasta water when adding the pasta which helps to bring everything together.
- Step 4) Add the Pasta:
- Finally, stir through your cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water, adding it bit by bit until you have a thick and creamy sauce and everything is fully combined. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar cheese until melted.
Chef’s Notes
Top your fajita pasta with some parsley or chopped fresh cilantro to retain in keeping with the Mexican-vibe of this recipe. This isn’t the “sauciest” of pasta dishes, but if you do want more sauce, add more tomato paste and sour cream, and continue adding pasta water bit by bit until you’ve achieved your desired consistency. This fajita pasta has a mild spice, but you can add more cayenne pepper, some hot sauce, or diced jalapenos if you like a spicier flavor!
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Storing
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. Reheat in the microwave until piping hot. Only reheat pasta once.
Frequently Asked Questions About Recipes
- → Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes, penne, rigatoni, or even spaghetti work well in this dish.
- → What can I substitute for vegan mince?
Try diced chicken, vegan chicken alternative, tofu crumbles, or even black beans.
- → Is there a vegan alternative to sour cream?
Yes, you can use cashew cream, reduced-fat cream cheese, or double cream.
- → How spicy is this dish?
It has a mild spice, but you can increase the heat with cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
- → How should I store leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days. Reheat once until piping hot.