Garlic Chili Oil Pasta with Smoky Pecans

Recipe from Vegan Richa.

This quick & easy vegan garlic chili oil pasta is my take on the viral chili oil noodles.

Ingredients

For the pasta

• 8 ounce spaghetti or linguini cooked to preference (cooked according to instruction on the package)

For the chili garlic topping

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (less or more to preference)
• 2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes,
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ cup or more of the pasta water

For the smoky bacon-y pecans:

• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari for Glutenfree
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

Only the amounts at the start of each ingredient change. The steps stay as written.

Instructions

1. Make your spaghetti or linguini according to the instructions on the package in well salted water. Then drain and rinse with cold water and set aside
2. Make the chili garlic oil topping:. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic and stir for a few seconds then add the rest of the ingredients and stir in and take off heat.
3. Once the garlic is starting to turn golden, add in the pasta water carefully and mix in.
4. Add this mixture to your pasta and toss well. I usually put the pasta in the serving bowls and then pour some of this chili garlic toping all over and then let people either toss it themselves or leave it as is so that there’s more concentrated flavor over the noodles.
5. Make the bacony pecans: To a small skillet over medium heat add the pecans then cook until the pecans are starting to smell slightly roasted. 2-4 mins
6. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss really well. (Add a few drops of liquid smoke for extra smoky ness, optional). Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken a little then take off heat. 1-3 minutes
7. This mixture will continue to thicken and kind of candy the pecans a little bit. Once the mixture is warm to touch, sprinkle these pecans into pasta and serve. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and flakes sea salt.
8. Storage: store cooked pasta, chili garlic oil and pecans separately. Heat the pasta and chili oil separately and toss and serve garnished with the pecans and fresh herbs