This Creamy Vegan Pasta delivers a rich, silky, dairy-free sauce made from blended cashews, plant milk, and nutritional yeast. It’s comforting, flavorful, and weeknight-friendly—perfect for anyone craving classic creamy pasta without milk, butter, or cheese.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta penne, fettuccine, rigatoni, or spaghetti
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Flavor Base
- ¾ cup raw cashews soaked and drained
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk almond, oat, or soy
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Pantry Staples
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp salt plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika or Italian seasoning optional
- Vegetable broth or reserved pasta water as needed
Instructions
- Prep
- Soak cashews in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain.
- Cook pasta in well-salted water according to package directions.
- Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
- Stovetop & Blending Method
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- In a blender, combine cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour sauce into the skillet and simmer on low heat 3–5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta water or broth a little at a time to loosen.
- Texture Check
- Sauce should be thick and silky, clinging to the pasta.
- Too thick? Add liquid gradually.
- Too thin? Simmer gently another minute.
- Finish
- Remove from heat and rest 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning and garnish with herbs or vegan parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Soaking cashews ensures a smooth, non-grainy sauce.
- Keep heat low after adding the blended sauce to prevent separation.
- Adjust salt at the end—nutritional yeast adds natural savoriness.