1. Peel and dice the onion and garlic finely. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into thin slices. Wash and dry the zucchini and bell pepper and cut them into bite-size pieces (remove the seeds from the bell pepper first). Set everything aside.

2. Add some olive oil to a large (cast iron) pot and heat up. Add the onions and garlic and fry until soft and glossy. Add the sliced mushrooms and fry until they lost most of their volume and are slightly browned – about 3-4 minutes. If you add some salt, the mushrooms cook a bit faster. Add the zucchini, bell pepper pieces, and spices. Season well with salt and pepper and add the chili flakes to your liking (you can always add more at the end). Continue cooking while stirring often for about 2-3 minutes until the veggies start to brown a bit.

3. When the veggies are softer and got some color, deglaze with the veggie stock and add the crushed tomatoes. Bring everything to a boil, then add the pasta. Reduce the heat a bit and let simmer until the pasta is “al dente”. In my case, the instructions on the pasta package said 10 Minutes of cooking time – cook according to the time on your pasta package. Stir frequently so nothing gets stuck on the bottom of the pot. If you want to add kale to your dish (optional), wash and dry it, cut it into smaller pieces and add it to the pot about 2-3 minutes before the pasta is “al dente”.

4. Serve with some chopped parsley and crumbled vegan feta (optional).