Vegan Garlic Pasta (40 Cloves!)

5 from 41 votes

Garlic lovers will go crazy for this 40 clove garlic pasta that combines soft, buttery, sweet roasted garlic with a vegan cream sauce. One bite and you will fall in love with this dreamy pasta dish!

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Ingredients

40 cloves of garlic peeled* (see note)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup olive oil + 1 more tablespoon for the roux
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cup non-dairy unsweetened milk room temp (see note)*
10 oz linguine noodles
½ tsp salt add more to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
more fresh thyme leaves for garnish optional

Optional Additions

roasted zucchini, mushrooms, sauteed spinach, chickpeas, and more!

Instructions

Roast Garlic & Cook Pasta

Preheat oven 300 F. Combine 35 of the 40 cloves with thyme leaves and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir until combined. Bake in a small oven safe dish or a small baking sheet for 40-45 minutes until very soft (can poke/press with a fork to check).
Meanwhile, cut up 5 extra garlic cloves into thinly sliced pieces and cook over the stove with a dash of olive oil over low heat to make some garlic chips for topping. Set aside.
When the roasted garlic is almost ready, start to boil the water for the noodles. Cook only until al dente.

Making Your Roux

In a large saucepan, add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and flour over MEDIUM heat. Mix until combined and starting to bubble.
Take the pan off the heat. SLOWLY add in 2 cups of milk, whisking as you do. Add back to heat. Stir continuously over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until it thickens. Stir in salt and pepper.
Once your roasted garlic is done, use a fork to smash the pieces (this part is fun!). I smashed mine right in the pan.

Combine your Pasta

Add the roasted garlic (along with it's infused olive oil and herbs) to the sauce and stir until combined. Taste and add more salt if desired.
Add in the cooked pasta and use a tongs to combine. At this point you can add in any roasted veggies.
Plate your pasta and sprinkle on your garlic chips and fresh thyme. Enjoy!

Notes

⭐️You may be wondering if you have to truly peel 40 garlic cloves...and the answer is you can, but I would recommend buying it pre-peeled. It's not too costly at the grocery store and saves SO much time.

Tips for making the vegan cream sauce (roux):

Cook on medium heat. Too high of heat will cause it to burn/clump.
Whisking is key to a smooth roux. Be diligent in whisking, especially in the beginning stages when you're combining the flour and fat.
Warm your milk to room temperature to avoid clumping. I popped mine in the microwave for 20-30 seconds which helped warm it up quickly.
If your sauce is clumpy at the end - STRAIN IT!

Nutrition