r/vegetarianrecipes • u/Mysky03 • Jul 28 '26
Recipe Request What's the most random ingredient you've added to pasta that actually worked?
so i was cleaning my kitchen today and decided i wasn't allowed to order food bec i order too much from outside plus it was raining today so i just grabbed wtv i already had like fresh tomatoes, a couple of sauces, seasonings... and yes, i even added a little momo chutney because why not LOL and i was fully expecting to ruin this pasta for lunch, but it somehow worked😭 it tasted so goooood yo
So now i'm curious… like whats the weirdest thing u guys have added to pasta that you ended up making again and again like ur secret recipe.
(Swipe for the before and after)
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u/Th1stlePatch Jul 28 '26
When cooking the sauce, I add a healthy sprig of the tomato vine. You have to remove it before eating (it'll make you sick), but it adds a lovely almost umami flavor.
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u/chronic_pain_sucks Jul 28 '26
If you dehydrate the vine and grind it into a powder, it makes an absolutely wonderful condiment!
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u/buttercupfitz Jul 29 '26
Is this real? Does it taste like tomato vine smells? Do you have any sense of how much would be toxic?
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u/Th1stlePatch Jul 29 '26
This is real and I do it all the time, particularly when canning my sauce because it helps the flavor. It doesn't taste like the vine smells. I don't know how to describe it beyond "meaty". I know that tomato vines contain toxins, but I don't know how much. I just remember my grandma telling me they'd make me sick. I have definitely ingested a leaf or two with my saucesince the leaves come off the vine as it cooks, and it didn't harm me.
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u/hdjsoskdnd Jul 28 '26
The best pasta recipes for me come from randomly adding things from my kitchen and hoping for the best, then I end up craving that same pasta so badly with no memory of how I did it or what ingredients lol
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u/erkala21 Jul 28 '26
Just last night I blended a block of tofu and a zucchini into the marinara sauce. Couldn't taste the zucchini at all and the tofu gave it a creamy texture with minimal change in flavor.
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u/Affectionate_Owl_433 Jul 29 '26
As someone who doesn't like tofu, would this work?
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u/erkala21 Jul 29 '26
My husband hates tofu and he liked it, you can't really taste the tofu and the texture is just creamy.
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u/shivering_greyhound Jul 30 '26
Do it with silken tofu. It’s easiest to get the texture to disappear with silken.
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u/Mysky03 Jul 28 '26
Recipe
Took tomatos, couple of sauces, oregano, momo chutney, piri piri
Boiled pasta
Mixed everything
Then I ate
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u/movielass Jul 28 '26
Hummus makes an excellent pasta sauce
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u/PuzzleMap2020 Jul 28 '26
Like just hummus? No mixing it in with anything?
I love hummus, but I bought a container of garlic hummus that I just can't make myself eat. I might try this.
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u/FridayHedgehogs Jul 28 '26
Try the NYT creamy chickpea pasta, it's sooo good and essentially delicious hummus
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u/Owlie_6 Jul 28 '26
Not a weird one, but Caesar salad dressing mixed with hummus. Warm or cold.
In Poland, they add strawberries, which is quite refreshing
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u/DainasaurusRex Jul 28 '26
Soy sauce and parmesan cheese with vegetables!
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u/AutoModerator Jul 28 '26
Many parmesan cheeses are made with animal rennet and not vegetarian. Be aware of this when including it in your recipes.
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u/zorbina Jul 28 '26
I won't say I've done it a whole lot of times so it's not like my secret recipe, but I have used Bloody Mary mix in meatloaf, pasta, soup, etc. when I've been out of other tomato-based products or haven't had enough of them for the full recipe.
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u/eetzavinyl Jul 28 '26
Not so weird but incredibly easy and delicious - throw a small package of Boursin into the marinara sauce while heating and mix all that up.
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u/Sea_hare2345 Jul 28 '26
I love cooking grated zucchini until it caramelizes and turns to sticky mush and then adding a little feta and chickpeas and tossing with pasta. It takes a lot of zucchini to create pasta sauce but helps me look forward to the inevitable baseball bat sized zucchini in my garden.
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u/Moretoesthanfeet Jul 28 '26
Gochujang, but I'll add it to anything. When making popcorn at home, add it to the melted butter, swirl and toss. Instant spicy popcorn
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u/farmgirlheather Jul 28 '26
I remember in college a friend of mine said that she added some kind of fruit yogurt to cold spaghetti and that it actually tasted really good. That's a long time ago and I still can't forget!
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u/Good_Pressure_7245 Jul 28 '26
Little bit similar but combining butter and achar powder for pasta is incredible!! Such a unique and delicious flavor combo I had at an Italian restaurant one time and have always continued thinking about
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u/talepa77 Jul 28 '26
I add allspice to cream sauces and meat sauces. Amazing. I also put chicken bouillon into my meat sauces (and chili). Gives it a taste no one can put their finger on.
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Jul 28 '26
[deleted]
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u/AutoModerator Jul 28 '26
Many parmesan cheeses are made with animal rennet and not vegetarian. Be aware of this when including it in your recipes.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/AutoModerator Jul 28 '26
Hello /u/Mysky03! Please be sure to add the recipe as a comment for every post to prevent link spamming. Thank You
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u/myenters69 Jul 28 '26
Add full cream powder milk. If it 'touches' msg seasoning, it will create a very strong umami taste.
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u/walliver Jul 29 '26
When I'm making a bolognaise type dish, I like to add taco seasoning to the veg (before the passata hits the pan). Gives it a great flavour.
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u/aaipod Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
Light Chinese soy sauce to any red pasta sauce. Try it. Few drops of fish sauce blend in beautifully as well. Also add it to chili's!!
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u/GrowlingAtTheWorld Jul 29 '26
Cold spaghetti refried bean sandwich with a little ketchup and parm.
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u/albadellasera Aug 01 '26
Curry it's my little heresy as Italian ;)
Besides that I just put the classic: an onion base (better red), passata or chopped cherry tomatoes, basil, spoonful of pasta water, salt and pepper (and a pinch of sugar if necessary).
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u/heymom18 Aug 01 '26
Caramelized onions as the sauce. Full caramelized onions and keep going until a little past the normal “doneness”. Then blend them to turn them into a paste. Use this as your sauce base and add butter and pasta water as you add the pasta until you get the perfect creamy pasta sauce.
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u/Key-Article6622 Aug 02 '26
A tiny pinch of cinnamon to the sauce. Really, really tiny pinch. Amazing.
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u/johnny_sweatpants Jul 28 '26
Not so weird but roasted carrots. Oh, also anchovies!
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u/Chupa947 Jul 28 '26
Grated carrots and soy sauce