Creamy Vegan Pasta

Creamy Vegan Pasta


 If you haven't tried this creamy cashew pasta sauce, you haven't lived! Give Meatless Mondays a makeover with this decadent recipe. 

INGREDIENTS

 

FOR THE SAUCE:
  • 1 Cup of Vegetable broth
  • ¾ cup of cashews, soaked 4 hours or overnight, then drained and rinsed
  • 3 tbsp. tomato paste

FOR THE PASTA:
  • 1 tbsp. Aroma olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced small
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1lb of penne pasta (4-5 cups dry measure)
  • 1 10-12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp of oregano
  • ½ tsp Aroma kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 large handfuls of baby spinach 

PREP TIME

  • 4hrs and 15mins (this includes soaking of cashews)

COOK TIME

  • 35 - 45 mins

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prepare the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta. Let cook half-way.
  2. At the same time water is boiling, prepare the cream sauce. In a high-speed blender, blend 1 cup of broth, the soaked cashews and tomato paste, until smooth and creamy. Set aside. 
  3. Warm olive oil in a dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion until it softens, then add the minced garlic and continue to sauté another minute until fragrant. 
  4. Add 3 cups of broth, pasta, roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, sea salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed. Cover and bring to a strong simmer, then turn heat down to medium-low temperature. Continue to let simmer while covered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes (up to 20 if you like a softer texture). You want the pasta to be mostly cooked before adding the cream sauce.
  5. Once the pasta has almost cooked to your desired texture, uncover and add the cream sauce. Stir until the noodles are evenly coated, then stir in the spinach. Cover again for a few minutes to let the spinach wilt, warm the cream sauce and finish cooking the noodles. Stir in a splash more broth as needed if the sauce is getting too dry for your liking. 
  6. Season with additional salt, to taste. Serve immediately with fresh basil garnish.