Recipes: Toss Your Pasta In These Cannabis-Infused Sauces

Curious about infusing cannabis into your meals but aren’t sure where to begin? Put on a pot of boiling water, and keep reading for ideas.

Medicated pasta sauces can be a great first step into the world of cooking with cannabis. They’re full of flavor yet straightforward; a fairly foolproof way for newbies to begin tinkering with their favorite strains of ganja in the kitchen.

Pasta sauces can be created to enhance the natural flavors and aromas of the cannabis flower, and the spices you choose can change the entire personality of your dish.

Once you get familiar with the basics, feel free to play around with flavors and dosing to create the perfect addition to your cannabis cooking arsenal.

Not Your Nonna’s Marinara Sauce

You can’t go wrong with a basic marinara. The robust flavors of tomato, onion, and garlic burst to the forefront of this recipe, co-existing with the cannabis instead of covering it up. Top with parmesan if you desire, though it’s certainly not necessary on a dish like this. Molto buono!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of canna oil
• 1 cup of yellow onion (chopped)
• ½ cup of dry red wine
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 ½ teaspoons of salt
• ½ teaspoon of pepper
• 1 tablespoon of parsley (chopped)

Directions:

1. Heat canna oil in a large saucepan. Add onion; saute until tender and translucent (about 5-10 minutes). Add the garlic, and cook for an addition 1-2 minutes.
2. Add wine and cook on a medium-high heat, scraping up the flavorful bits of onion and garlic on the bottom of the pan. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, usually about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in tomatoes, salt, pepper, and parsley. Cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Cannabis-Infused Pesto

In the pasta sauce world, pesto is the jack of all trades. It can be used as a pasta sauce, a dipping sauce, a sandwich condiment – even a pizza topping. The world is just a vessel for pesto.

This cannabis pesto from Cannabis Cheri is no different. However you choose to enjoy it, you’ll come away feeling satisfied in more ways than one.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
• 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
• 2 tablespoons cannabis infused olive oil
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan, and nuts in a food processor or blender. Mix well.
2. Without turning off the machine, carefully add canna oil and olive oil by drizzling in slowly.
3. Season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Green Flower’s Canna-Alfredo Sauce

This is my signature alfredo recipe, medicated for your pleasure! This alfredo sauce is a creamy, tangy indulgence that’s as rich as it is flavorful. Make sure to use a crusty bread to sop up any leftovers – this sauce is liquid gold.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of cannabutter
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon of garlic (minced)
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

1. Melt cannabutter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cream, and bring to a simmer
2. Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute.
3. Turn off the heat, and whisk in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk until sauce is smooth and cheese is fully incorporated.
4. Serve immediately over the pasta of your choosing.

Cannabis Cacio e Pepe

Literally translating to “cheese and pepper,” cacio e pepe is the minimalist foodie’s pasta dish. Because there are so few ingredients, it’s important to use good quality products in this recipe. When the flavors start to take center stage, you’ll be glad you did.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of cannabutter
• 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
• Pinch of salt
• 1 lb. of pasta (long pastas work well)

Directions:

1. Add 3 quarts of water to a large pot; add salt, and bring to a boil. Add pasta, and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain, but reserve ¾ cup of water for later.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of cannabutter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add pepper and cook for about a minute, swirling in the pan, until lightly toasted.
3. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and simmer. Add cooked pasta and the remaining tablespoon of cannabutter. Reduce heat to low, and add cheese one small handful at a time. Toss with a pair of tongs until fully mixed and the sauce entirely coats the pasta. Serve in slightly warmed pasta dishes.

Bolognese a la Cannabis

This meaty bolognese sauce is a hearty, stick-to-the-ribs staple that goes back for centuries in classic Italian cooking. The earthy flavor of cannabis melds seamlessly with this pasta’s flavorful trademark characteristics. For those of us whose love of language translates to food, that’s truly amore.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup of canna oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (coarsely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled and coarsely chopped)
• 1 celery stalk (coarsely chopped)
• 1 carrot (coarsely chopped)
• 1 pound of ground beef
• One 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup of Italian parsley (chopped)
• 8 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Directions:

1. Heat canna oil in a large skillet. When it begins to smoke lightly, add onion and garlic; saute over medium heat until tender and the onion is translucent (typically about 8 minutes).
2. Add celery and carrot, and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium high, and add the ground beef. Stir frequently, breaking up large chunks of meat as it cooks. Cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, parsley, and basil; cook over medium low heat while the sauce thickens.
4. Season with salt and pepper, and stir. Serve over a chunky pasta (rigatoni or ziti works well), and top with grated Parmesan if desired.