The Viral "Lazy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta" is DELICIOUS | Vegan 30 Min Dinner

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This video captivated me when it slid across my fyp. EASY VEGAN and made in 30 MIN. Doesn't get much better than that. Enjoy this scrumptious healthy weeknight dinner.
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My Alterations:
2 tomatoes
smoked paprika
silken tofu (if you want extra protein & creaminess)
nutritional yeast to taste
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[@CozyLumi]

I was so confused when people got mad at her for calling this a lazy recipe or a dish for when you don't feel like cooking because this really takes no effort. Sure there is cooking involved but it really takes no time, no juggling several pans at once, it's just some roasted, blended veggies with noodles. Easy, simple, quick. And it's a warm and filling meal.

[@tammi67able]

Because they are truly lazy .

[@lcweinstock]

@@tammi67able Or disabled. Making judgements does nothing but make your own life a living hell.

[@CozyLumi]

@@lcweinstock that is something I did not think about. Thank you for bringing that up! Absolutely valid point!

[@MerleONeal]

agreed!!! minimal dishes too

[@Emlane09]

I need fat to feel satiated tbh

[@JasonMemeoa]

Also Maya is such a sweetheart, so kudos to you for standing up for her

[@centy64]

All recipes should come with a "How many dishes will I need to clean" part. It's up there with how many things I'll need to buy in importance and my ability to actually follow through.

[@MerleONeal]

Absolutely yes, because there's the cooking and then there's the cleanup and it's allll part of the picture

[@Toughmittens]

Yup, there were too many things that needed to be washed for this. The moment you have to wash the blender, it becomes a darn chore period

[@ErinChamberlain]

Why do people always have to find something to complain about?? Also, there is active and passing kind of cooking, like I'm actively standing at a stove frying something, and then there's the passive type of cooking, as in my food is cooking in the oven. I would definitely say this is more passive. What is involved besides barely cutting stuff up and then blending?? Stop being jerks people sheesh! Love you Merle!!

[@karleybioanthro]

I love Maya’s recipes! She makes great stuff!

[@MerleONeal]

Same here! I'm a fan

[@charliebrown1184]

She really does!

[@VerrueckteKatzenLadie]

I frequently make a very similar pasta sauce which is actually almost no cooking. I use roasted bell pepper from a jar, hummus, soy sauce and a bit of pasta water and blend it up and add it to cooked pasta. Don't even have measurements, I just add as much of anything as I want to. It's such a delicious sauce and very filling

[@Dwoalin]

Maya is so sweet! Love her videos. "Let's go get some shoes..." I've used tahini in pasta quite often and it's so nice to make a creamy sauce 🤤

[@annamacdonald2270]

@rainbowplantlife uses tahini in a bunch of her sauces to lend creaminess and a great mouthfeel! Great strategy

[@MerleONeal]

Thank you for putting a label on it- i couldn't figure out what I liked about it so much bc it wasn't overwhelming flavor but it's definitely the mouthfeel!

[@viivi4196]

people are definitely way too hard on her on a regular basis and it makes me so sad, she just wants to share recipes and she seems so genuine and like a lovely person! anyway, I'll be making this pasta soon!

[@rumjhumgupta7137]

I love her so much!!! She is innovative and a genuinely cute person

[@hannahcook04]

I make a variation of this, but use jarred roasted red peppers which are A already roasted, B cheaper than fresh out of season (and sometimes even in season depending where you live). Freeze extra cooked onions from another night of cooking. Easy and no baking pan to wash.

[@katielouise210]

two merle videos in a week?? What a treat!!

[@MerleONeal]

SURPRISE!

[@suzanasimic6761]

Made this tonight with a few of your additions and 1 of mine, jalapeño. OMG! My son said, "thanks Merle!" 😊

[@jessguinn]

Baldur’s Gate and an easy roasted red pepper pasta sounds like my kind of afternoon. Love the shoes reference 😜

[@ddawson100]

Oooh, nice stuff. I appreciate hearing the tips in the update, too. Lots of ideas for really elegant weeknight meal or as an accompaniment to a more complex meal.

[@fallen0angel]

La-la-LOVE fitgreenmind. People are so silly and overly critical--in my humble, vegan opinion, heating and blending do not count as cooking lol. Like, have you seen the lengths we go to in order to make, not only an entire meal, but partial components of a meal. 😂

[@MerleONeal]

!!!! Tell them!

[@HeartAnimeManga]

I did a lot of Mayas Recipes and every single one was amazing

[@bodyofhope]

This looks amazing! I add Tahini to everything lol. Any time I need some fatty creaminess, I add tahini. I would just add some red pepper flakes for a hit of spice.

[@sandrodellisanti1139]

Ciao, this looks delicious, i love Pasta, my father was italian, personally i've cooked a pastasauce with lentils, much garlic and Chili for two days, so i wish you all a wonderful Weekend, many greetings from brunswick in germany and please stay safe 🙃

[@MerleONeal]

wishing you a wonderful weekend as well!

[@jadenamber8378]

I'll blitz cashews and add nut butters for cheesiness (w Nooch and some acid) but I keep a big Costco jug of Tahini around for when I'm lazy or making hummus. It works, but it's got a distinct flavor that prompts you to be a little more daring with the spices so it doesn't overwhelm.

[@MerleONeal]

o0o0o yesssss

[@charliebrown1184]

Love Maya's recipes, she's wonderful!

[@aq9415]

Tahini can work really well in a pasta sauce, but it's not something I've seen used much. Deliciously Ella has a roast butternut squash with lemon tahini pasta recipe that is incredible.

[@MerleONeal]

that sounds devine- I can't put my finger on what it adds to the flavor but i like it

[@charliebrown1184]

It's kind of a savoury creamy nuttiness? It works!

[@treehugginandlovinit]

Looks super tasty and easy peasy! Going to give it a try and add some silken tofu for an added protein hit.

[@MerleONeal]

YES lmk how the silken tofu is with it

[@davidvllr]

You can tell she's a chef bc she's serving us with all these videos

[@umafa1645]

This looks delicious, thank you for sharing your version as well!

[@MerleONeal]

you're welcome!! I hope you get the chance to try it!

[@caterinarandom8410]

I loveeeee her channel (as much as I love yours) would be amazing to see you two collab!!!

[@staceyneedscoffee]

I was given her cookbook for Christmas and it's great!

[@udta_rasoiya]

I always thought this sauce would be so tangy from the vinegar in store-bought roasted red peppers, but this version with the homemade roasted pepper looks delish!! 😋

[@dandles2010]

This looks so yummy. I'm glad for the update, because I thought ... "Hmmm, I bet roasted tomatoes would be good with this."

[@anwiel]

I love Maya and her recipes so much. Thank you for trying this one. Hope you will try more of her recipes in the future 😊 I did not try this one, but it looks easy and yummy 🤤 People are not nice to her a lot, lately because she is 'too skinny'. Makes me sad, because she looks like very nice person who just want to make delicious meals and share it.

[@nacoleuveino3151]

Love her recipes!

[@MerleONeal]

Me too!!

[@charliebrown1184]

Me too!

[@jrwoiderski]

Love the follow up! Thx

[@sunny5ma]

A bonus video?? Don't mind it at all!!! 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤ love our reigning vegan queen as always. Honestly this was pretty much as little cooking as humanly possible haha. I love it, might have to try this!! Thanks Merle, can't wait for the next one!!💖

[@jrwoiderski]

Also enjoyed your self-correction with the paws. I have the same bowl and was like "why is she not hands-free, silly-tossing that shit?"

[@dumplechan]

To be fair, if you can use a jump-cut edit to slice up the vegetables instead of a knife, that makes the cooking take less time :) This looks good though - I think I'll try this with air-fryer tofu or with chickpeas just for a little extra protein.

[@MerleONeal]

OH RIGHTTT why didn't i think of that!

[@lillianv6805]

"are you tired? are you stinky???" *working out while watching* YES AND YES

[@MerleONeal]

we love to see it!

[@MsTreefox]

Omg the Kelly drop was the highlight of my day

[@camlaw88]

Easy and cheap, and people still complain -add the vegan parm

[@MerleONeal]

i actually did!! it was perfect

[@jaimeletts7562]

I love this! I usually blend cashews in as well and it makes it super creamy

[@DannyBoyInsanity]

this is great! I have a jar of roasted bell peppers that needs using up! Adding tomatoes makes sense. I mean you have tomatoes in roasted bell pepper soup. I never thought of adding silken tofu to a savoury dish before so I would like to try that

[@MerleONeal]

even BETTER and simpler!! but yes, silken tofu can sneakily fit into sauces, you just have to find the right amount for you

[@DannyBoyInsanity]

@MerleONeal I just tried this recipe, I omitted the tahini and tofu because I didn't have it on hand, but it came out great! I had crushed tomatoes for convenience and was able to store the rest of the sauce in the same jar!

[@justin_g_smith]

The Shoes interlude was beyond appreciated

[@MerleONeal]

:)

[@VictoryDanDukor]

Looks good. Adding a tomato to the oven was a change i wouldbe done too bc raw tomato paste tastes weird to me. It's a good base recipe

[@rhyssaunders9863]

I was surprised you hadn't had tahini in pasta sauce, I feel like I use it in pasta dishes all the time. Feel like it adds a creamy, savory element.

[@MerleONeal]

I think I'm going to from now on!

[@Alvinemoon]

Going to do a version of this when my man and my kid is on vacation and I have a mommy week all by myself ❤️

[@anthropomorphicpeanut6160]

Looks amazing

[@LunovaLabs]

I've been on that Baldur's Gate, too! 😅😅😅

[@MerleONeal]

the way it took over my entire life - like days at a time

[@masdanar9321]

Yummy

[@KrystalKairi]

This passes my "lazy" test as there's essentially no chopping!! That's my "lazy" recipe pet peeve - it's not lazy if I've had to dice vegetables!

[@idahogie]

Followed your recipe, basically ... but added a couple tsp of hot pepper flakes and oat milk (because I didn't have any silken tofu). Awesome!

[@MattyIsTalking]

I am the biggest baby when it comes to many steps in a recipe. I would certainly make this, but I could see a few times where I am "too busy" and lean on an easier recipe. But chill if you've ever made cashew milk. I'm ON BOARD.

[@MerleONeal]

omfg cashew milk is ELITE

[@charliebrown1184]

I made a cashew sour cream the other week because I realised I didn't have my usual vegan one halfway through cooking something- it was so much quicker and easier than I thought it would be and it turned out to be so good!

[@marissabrielle]

Not sure if tahini is common in pasta sauce but I think it's common for Maya haha. I follow her on IG and she uses it in a lot of recipes. One of my faves with tahini is her curry chickpea salad, highly recommend!

[@MerleONeal]

oh good to know!! I would love to try that, this recipe was fantastic

[@blank468]

The tahini is so smart cuz it adds protein and creaminess at the same time without needing to soak cashews for hours

[@jiggabot]

Yummmm!

[@ProtomanZ]

The EVO championship shirt, what a deep cut.

[@MerleONeal]

😎

[@Dougy89612]

An Evo shirt and a shoes reference? Your ability to hit such a specific cross-section of my life in one video is wild.

[@anthonyphil4743]

Not Kelly possessing you while making pasta 😂😂

[@debifier]

KELLY!!! 👠 🤩

[@MerleONeal]

LETS PARTY

[@geronimoflyingfree]

oh wow, I'll try this for sure!😍😍😍👌

[@MerleONeal]

Highly recommend!! If you want more protein, whizz in some white beans, silken tofu, or cashews!

[@geronimoflyingfree]

@@MerleONeal 😍👌

[@Phantomstories1831]

I enjoy watching u both

[@NeccoWecco]

Can you do some of the highest rated and lowest rated recipes you can find online

[@KrisRN23935]

Easy is reative. I made this today but with added Chickpeas. It was good, definitely recommend, but I couldn't have made it a few days ago when the depression hit, so this was a getting back into cooking meal.

[@thelettergii]

You've inspired me to try making this, thank you! Although do you think the tahini is necessary, since it sounded like the flavor was pretty subtle? I don't usually have tahini lying around, but I can easily get silken tofu if I need the creaminess. Also I felt like my worlds were colliding when I saw the EVO shirt! Do you play fighting games by any chance?

[@msoc366]

Thank you Merle this is gr8 also may I say you look quite ravishing today

[@Xerneas385]

I personally love these recipes since you can just put ur veggies in the oven and take a shower after a workday and when ur done showering you can just blend it up and ur food is ready (and cook the pasta obviosly)

[@wojciechostrowicz]

Okay, but thats actually amazing for "Those" nights. I'll throw things into the oven and I'll have to wait for them to be ready, while also having time to clean around. Bc im not gonna just binge a Netflix series, while im in that cokking headspace

[@katarinakrizova2969]

You are my Merle O'MEAL 🤗

[@Truecrimeresearcher224]

*to the tune of shoes* this dish rocks, this dish sucks, this dish rocks, this dish sucks. food, food, food. ah the internet gotta love it

[@MakiraVangalis]

I think sundried tomatoes would be tasty to add too :)

[@kennyduren0831]

Is it lazy? No, I’m way too lazy to call it such, but it’s definitely easy and I can’t wait to make it.

[@littlebigkaycey]

Can you... Would you take from 0:09 to 0:24 and make it into your channel intro? I really loved that part

[@MerleONeal]

LMAO EVERY. SINGLE. VIDEO.

[@littlebigkaycey]

@@MerleONeal EVEN BETTER! ❤🧡💛💚💙💜

[@brittanywinn3955]

I love green fit mind. This looks SO good. And I have an excess of red peppers....

[@MerleONeal]

it's written in the STARS!!

[@Clowanda]

Hey girl!!! I just met ur bf 😭 I was not sure if it was him but I introduced myself awkwardly. I just wanted to say how much I love your content ❤

[@MerleONeal]

Oh my goodness! He just sent me the photo! Thank you so much for telling me, it truly makes it worth making these videos

[@Clowanda]

@@MerleONeal glad to hear :)) 💞 keep doing what you do!!

[@lmpeters]

I tend to appreciate Adam Ragusea's recipes for similar reasons: he keeps them simple, and he minimizes the number of dishes you'll have to clean afterward. By the way, if you want to try his "spaghetti con broccoli aglio e olio", the only thing you'd need to do to make it vegan is not add any cheese at the end.

[@arj-peace]

Curious how much silken tofu you added? Thanks! I also like your idea to add cashew for extra creaminess/protein. Tofu or cashews seem like a great addition, plus the tomatoes.

[@MerleONeal]

I didn't actually add any on this iteration, that is just what I would do personally for a punch of protein (i'm guessing 1/2 a block but you could do more if you don't mind the flavor! it will just dilute the flavor, so maybe add some miso in there to compensate)

[@arj-peace]

@@MerleONeal Thanks for replying!

[@angelm1832]

Question for comment folks! I have a huge aversion to bell peppers (texture taste and smell) and I usually use poblanos instead, but would some other alternative pepper be better for this recipe? Spicy could be good too maybe?

[@kindnessmatters5215]

Perhaps sub a pkg of silken tofu for one of the cans of coconut milk? Up the protein, keep creaminess, decrease fat. 🤔

[@MerleONeal]

I'm liiiiking where your head is at

[@nikkikim6908]

As a non-vegan (and also disabled person--fibro, for what it's worth), I'd say this is lazy...but not "don't want to cook" level. I feel like vegans and more health concious people use their blender more. I don't even own a blender. So this would require me to get out my immersion blender and deal with that. It's just kinda a bleh task to me if I don't feel like cooking. HOWEVER, if you're someone who has a blender ready and has an air fryer/toaster oven, then yeah, this is pretty dang easy. It's just a step above making mac and cheese, which is my go-to "I don't feel like cooking but also don't want to pay for DoorDash BUT I have to eat something today" meal. I'd definitely make this if I ever buy a blender.

[@Clueblue109]

I know you’ve been trying to get more protein into your diet. Another good way to add some protein to your pasta sauce is by blending lentils in with it. Also if you use like a lentil or chickpea pasta even more protein.

[@MerleONeal]

o0o0o I was thinking of blending some great northern beans!!! but lentils could be good too!

[@ballroomred]

You should try roasting the onions, tomato, garlic in the oven; but toast the peppers over your gas stove and skin them. Adds a little something, in my opinion.

[@MerleONeal]

I just did that for last week's video - the ratatouille! - it was delicious, but I think then we officially cannot call this a lazy meal hahahha

[@ballroomred]

@@MerleONeal yup! That’s why it was on my mind :) On the one hand, it takes one more step. But on the other hand requires not a single extra dish. But honestly IMO while this meal looks good and healthyish, it is not lazy on my scale even in the version you did. 🤣🤷‍♀️

[@morganpeterson252]

Consistent

[@vanillafrostingz4280]

how on earth can ppl possibly think this isn't a lazy dish... you can sit down and do your own thing most of the cooking time?😭

[@MerleONeal]

TRULY

[@ambermist]

I am someone who looks at a recipe like that and on a Tier 0 day am like, "that's too much cooking for me today." But I also realize that I'm neurodivergent and that I can't expect everyone to base their scale off of me. I don't understand getting angry at a creator because their definition of a subjective word isn't the same as yours, lol. People should be able to look at a recipe for themselves and decide if it's something they're up to or not, it's not the creator's job to figure that out for you. >.< Personally, I freaking love Maya, I've made so many of her recipes and every single one has been a banger. I make her foccacia bread regularly because it's the easiest bread in the world for me to make, and even my picky eaters are big fans.

[@sleepymomentssounds]

Early gang!

[@peachcloudz]

Approx. how much sliken tofu did you add for the alterations? Thanks!

[@peachcloudz]

P.s. i made the recipe, it definitely needed more acidity so I added lemon

[@MerleONeal]

I didn't actually add any on this iteration, that is just what I would do personally for a punch of protein (i'm guessing 1/2 a block but you could do more it will just dilute the flavor, so maybe add some miso or more roasted pepper in there to compensate)

[@Sparkel1000]

how do you think this would be with out tomato paste? or are there any substitutes?

[@MerleONeal]

you could definitely have it without the tomato paste, if you wanted to squeeze a a little lemon in there to get the acid it might be helpful!

[@strawberrysoymilkshake]

Roast a few tomatoes in with the peppers.

[@abaz9495]

guys will see this and think "hell yeah"

[@Shadeadder]

I've seen those kind of complaints before. There's a popular tumblr post that says something along the lines of, "If your lazy meal involves chopping an onion, I'm not listening." I do find it kind of concerning that our generation's conception of a lazy meal has gotten so low that even bare minimum cooking is considered too much effort.

[@MerleONeal]

RIGHT!

[@theaudiobookaficionado]

I don't think there's anything wrong with this recipe at all but I do think it's a bit categorically false to market it as a "no cooking" recipe. For me at least, any recipe where I use my blender is labor intensive because blenders are difficult to clean and cant just be tossed in the dishwasher. People did not need to be rude or mean to her whatsoever (she makes great content!) but i totally understand why someone would click on a recipe with that promise and then feel like it didnt meet the expectations. I don't think that's wrong to point out so the creator has a better understanding of where to meet her audience!

[@steadystate4015]

People have been so harsh on Maya probably because she's not an assertive BS-ing alpha male influencer type, which attracts all the bad comments.

[@michaela879]

Under every recipe that is titled as easy, there are a ton of people being mad saying it's not easy at all and that an easy lazy meal is considered a piece of toast or a bag of chips. It's so annoying, what do they expect the video to be about, opening a bag of chips?

[@Midnighteyess]

Ohmygod shoes.

[@MerleONeal]

you know it

[@madhu9549]

I'm with the critics on this. While it is low effort, it still requires a series of steps (chopping, boiling, blending, pre-heating oven) and several dishes (blender, pasta pot, baking sheet)

[@Girlofpages]

I think people get confused when you say "i don't want to cook". It doesn't mean that I won't cook. 😂

[@MerleONeal]

lmao TRULY

[@Toughmittens]

Things that must be washed for this recipe: bowl, 2 knives, cutting board, baking tray/rack, tongs, pan, pot, blender, plate, fork, spoon, AND you have to turn the oven on?? Nope.. not allowed to be called lazy.

[@VerhoevenSimon]

That really didn't look too bad.

[@MerleONeal]

it was super yummy

[@antistaticandi]

That was... Nothing. How was anyone mad about that?!

[@GS-lq2is]

I love Maya and that looks yummy, but it is a lot of cooking in my opinion. And there's no real protein, so it's not even a full meal in my book.

[@MerleONeal]

I think for me, I would add the silken tofu / possibly some great northern beans to thicken it and to add to the protein count

[@GS-lq2is]

@@MerleONeal Now you're talking! I would love to see you try either or both of those 😋

[@kittens_shades3901]

But you cooked tho…

[@letslicious]

Looks amazing, Merle! Would love to have your videos on the LetsLicious app. 🙂

[@breedubs]

This looks easy & delicious!!! Instagram commenters love to be harsh on content creators sadly 🥲