Creamy Vegan Pasta with Roasted Garlic & Cashew Sauce
Roasted garlic and blended cashews form the base of this rich, dairy-free pasta sauce, finished with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and a squeeze of lemon. The technique of slow-roasting the garlic before blending gives the sauce a deep, mellow flavor that coats the pasta evenly. It comes together in about 40 minutes.
Equipment
- High-speed blender
- Large skillet
- Large pot
- Colander
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 12 oz fettuccine or linguine use gluten-free pasta if desired
- 1 head garlic top trimmed for roasting
- 1 tbsp olive oil for roasting garlic
- 1 cup raw cashews preferably soaked for at least 2 hours or boiled 10 minutes if short on time
- 1.5 cups unsweetened plant milk such as oat or almond milk
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for umami depth
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms cleaned and sliced
- 2 cups baby spinach loosely packed
- 1 tbsp olive oil for sautéing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap in parchment then foil, and roast for 30 minutes until soft and golden. Allow to cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves out.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- In a high-speed blender, combine soaked cashews, roasted garlic cloves, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. Add a bit of hot pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté sliced mushrooms for 6-8 minutes until deeply browned and fragrant. Stir in baby spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Lower the heat and add cooked pasta to the skillet. Pour the creamy cashew sauce over and toss gently to coat. Heat for another 2–3 minutes, adding small splashes of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
Notes
- To save time, roast the garlic and soak cashews the night before.
- For a nut-free version, substitute silken tofu for cashews and reduce the plant milk to 1 cup.
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika or chili flakes for a comforting heat.
Nutrition
Calories: 649kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 23gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 662mgPotassium: 874mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1645IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 210mgIron: 5mg
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