Kurut with dried dill, served with fresh parsley Rehydrated Kurut Dip with Dill & Olive Oil Saucy Galbi served with sesame seeds and cilantro Braised Short Ribs (Galbi-jjim Style) Freshly baked pumpkin seed biscuits Roasted Pumpkin Seed Biscuits Spiced Honey Cake served Spiced Honey Cake Chocolate lava cake with gooey center Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts Kurut with dried dill, served with fresh parsley Rehydrated Kurut Dip with Dill & Olive Oil Saucy Galbi served with sesame seeds and cilantro Braised Short Ribs (Galbi-jjim Style) Freshly baked pumpkin seed biscuits Roasted Pumpkin Seed Biscuits Spiced Honey Cake served Spiced Honey Cake Chocolate lava cake with gooey center Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts
Creamy pasta with broccoli and carrots served in a bowl
Pasta with creamy vegetable sauce

Creamy Vegetable Pasta (Menestra Style)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes Main Courses
This sauce technique mimics a béchamel but substitutes a heavy roux with a cornstarch slurry for a lighter viscosity. The goal is to emulsify the milk with the vegetable juices to coat the pasta without the heaviness of full cream. It transforms a simple vegetable stew concept into a cohesive pasta dish.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 25 mins
⌛ Total Time 40 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 600 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Spanish Fusion

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large Stockpot (6qt+): Using a large volume of water ensures the temperature doesn't drop drastically when veggies are added, keeping them bright green (blanched) rather than turning grey/mushy.
  • Small Bowl & Whisk: Critical for the cornstarch slurry. Never dump powder directly into hot sauce; it clumps instantly. Dissolve it in cold milk in a separate bowl first.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Dairy
⚠️ Gluten

Instructions

1 ✓

Boil pasta in salted water. Add vegetables in the last 3 minutes (blanching). Reserve 1 cup of starch water before draining.

Tip: Using the same pot not only saves water but the vegetables also absorb some of the pasta starch, aiding sauce adhesion later.
2 ✓

Sauté aromatics. Whisk cornstarch into cold milk, add to the pan, and bring to a simmer to thicken.

Tip: If the sauce splits or looks grainy, the heat was likely too high. A splash of cold milk and vigorous whisking can often re-emulsify it.
3 ✓

Combine pasta, veggies, and sauce. Use pasta water to adjust viscosity.

Tip: Cornstarch sauces thicken significantly as they cool (retrogradation). Make the sauce slightly runnier than you think necessary in the pan.

Recipe FAQ

Thickening?
Cornstarch makes a glossy sauce. Flour makes a matte roux sauce.
Veggies?
Use whatever is in season. Asparagus, peas, peppers all work.
Cheese?
Parmesan is optional but recommended.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Broccoli Florets
  • 2 medium Carrots (sliced)
  • 1 small Onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
  • 7 oz Pasta (Penne or Fusilli)