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–+ servings
3 green bowls with vegan cashew alfredo pasta and mushrooms

Super Easy Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce with Roasted Mushroom Pasta

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This vegan cashew alfredo sauce is creamy and oh-so delicious. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make — it comes together in just 5 minutes! Nutritious and healthy, this is a great go-to plant-based pasta recipe.
Course Main Course, Pasta, Sauces
Cuisine American, Italian
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Alfredo, Cashew, Mushroom, Pasta, Sauces
Dietary Preference dairy free, Gluten-Free, vegan, vegetarian
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 Servings
Author Desiree Nielsen, RD

Equipment

  • High Speed Blender

Ingredients

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

  • 1 ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
  • 4 cloves roasted garlic or 1/2 - 1 clove raw garlic, crushed

Roasted Mushroom Pasta

  • 12 ounce package of your favourite pasta I like chickpea-based Banza or Rummo whole wheat
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (crimini, oyster, shiitake) cleaned, trimmed and halved if necessary
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cloves garlic, skin on optional, if no roasted garlic on hand
  • ½ cup curly parsley minced, optional
Imperial - Metric

Instructions

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

  • If making just the alfredo sauce, place the cashews, water, salt, nutritional yeast and garlic in a high-speed blender and blend until silky smooth, 1-2 minutes. If you have a soup setting on your blender, you can heat and blend at the same time!
  • Use immediately, or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat over medium-low on stove.

Cashew Alfredo Sauce with Roasted Mushroom Pasta

  • Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, place cashews, water, salt and nutritional yeast in the blender and set aside while you roast the garlic with the mushrooms.
  • Toss the mushrooms and garlic with salt and olive oil and spread on baking sheet. Add thyme sprigs and ensure that the mushrooms aren't crowded so they don't steam. Place in oven, close to heat source.
  • Let roast for 15-20 minutes, or until thinner edged mushrooms are crispy at edges, stirring once halfway through cooking process. Remove from oven and set aside.
  • Carefully lift garlic cloves out of skins (they're hot!) and place in blender. Blend cashew alfredo sauce on high speed until silky smooth, about 1-2 minutes, to let sauce heat up.
  • Drain pasta and rinse quickly. Place back in pasta pot, off of the heat and toss with cashew alfredo sauce and divide among bowls, topping with roasted mushrooms and parsley if you wish.