Alison Roman's Caramelized Shallot Pasta Recipe (without anchovies)

caramelized shallot pasta without anchovies in a bowl.

5 from 4 votes

Alison Roman's Caramelized Shallot Pasta Recipe (without anchovies)

Alison Roman's caramelized shallot pasta recipe is made vegetarian/vegan using miso in place of anchovies, and loaded with robust umami flavor. It's a versatile and healthy pasta recipe that comes together in 30 minutes!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 216kcal

Author: MaryAnne

Equipment

large skillet
large saucepan

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
6 large shallots, very thinly sliced
1 bunch Swiss chard (or your favorite greens), stems finely chopped and leaves thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
¼ cup miso paste
1 (6-ounce can) tomato paste (about ½ to ¾ cup)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces pasta
1 cup fresh parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
coarse sea salt

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots have become totally softened and caramelized with golden-brown fried edges, around 20 minutes. Add Swiss chard and garlic, and sauté for 5 more minutes.
Add red-pepper flakes and miso paste. Stir to combine, and cook about 2 minutes.
Add tomato paste and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste has started to cook in the oil a bit, deepening in color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer about half the mixture to a resealable container (I recommend placing this in the freezer after it has completely cooled).
To serve, cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water until very al dente. Transfer to skillet with remaining shallot mixture and 1 cup pasta water.
Cook over medium heat, using tongs to turn and coat pasta, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any bits on the bottom, until pasta is thick and sauce has reduced, 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve pasta garnished with parsley and flaky sea salt.

Notes

- When cooking the shallots, be sure to cook them low and slow. You don't want to fry the shallots necessarily, but rather braise them in a sense. So keep your heat low and be patient; you will end up with sweet and tender shallots that will melt in your mouth.

- Adding the cup of pasta water to your shallot sauce helps to make it extra creamy, so don't skip this step.

- Coarse sea salt is to be added at the end of the dish, to your taste preference. Because miso/soy sauce, etc. is very salty, I prefer to add salt at the end of making this recipe, if necessary.

- How to store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

- How to freeze: To freeze half of the shallot pasta sauce, let it completely cool and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition