Pasta with Cauliflower-Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Easy Vegan Pasta Alfredo Recipe, Cashew Nut Butter Recipe

Pasta Cauliflower-Cashew Alfredo: Easy vegan pasta recipe from Robin Robertons' Nut Butter Universe.

This cashew nut butter pasta recipe is a lighter vegan version of the classic pasta alfredo recipe, combining cashews with cauliflower for a creamy and satisfying vegan Alfredo sauce.

Total prep & cook time: 45 minutes, not including soaking the cashews

Serves 4 to 6

Nutrition Data, 236g Serving: 231 cal, 31g carb, 9g fat, 371mg sodium, 3g fiber, 4g Sugars, 10g protein, good source Folate, Vit. B12, Copper, Manganese, Vit. K, Vit. C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin & Vit. B6. Estimated glycemic load 14

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
• 1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound pasta of choice
• 1 cup hot vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup cooking wine
• 3 Tblsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 Tbsp pitted kalamata olives, halved
• 2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley, basil, or chives

Directions:

1. Steam the cauliflower until just tender. Remove from the heat, uncover, and set aside
2. Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain well and return to the pot
3. While the pasta is cooking, drain the soaked cashews and transfer to a high speed blender or food processor
4. Add the 1 cup of hot broth, and process until smooth and creamy
5. Add 2 cups of the steamed cauliflower, almond milk, scallions, nutritional yeast, wine, lemon juice, garlic powder, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and blend until very smooth
6. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed
7. For a thicker sauce, add more cauliflower. For a thinner sauce add more almond milk
8. Add the sauce to the cooked, drained pasta
9. Add the tomatoes, any remaining cauliflower, and the olives, and toss gently to combine
10. Serve hot sprinkled with parsley

Recipe Tips:

Don't be afraid to be bold when salting and flavoring the sauce. The flavor will be diluted when added to the pasta.

If you think you will end up reheating the pasta, serve individual portions of pasta and add the cauliflower, tomato, olives, and fresh herb individually as well.

Save the leftovers in the fridge and when you are ready to eat them, reheat the pasta and sauce before adding the leftover toppings.

For a gluten-free vegan Pasta Alfredo recipe, use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Recipe Comments:

Made the above recipe with a little extra garlic powder and found it to be wonderfully creamy but pretty plainly flavored. I added extra salt but it just seemed to disappear into the sauce without changing the flavor. My nutritional yeast doesn't taste like much (are some brands more flavorful than others?). I see now that you recommended adding more seasoning, but I wonder what you would use to add flavor. I like most savory, salty, umami flavors. Thanks! R.

Hi R: I would increase the amount of all the flavorings in this dish except the lemon juice and wine, plus add 1 or 2 Tbsp mellow (white) miso paste. Very salty and TONS of umami! It would also be tastier with 2 - 3 cloves fresh minced garlic, and/or 1/4 cup minced onion, sauteéd in a little oil, instead of the garlic powder. Thanks for sharing! Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

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