Mushroom Cashew Cream Pasta (Vegan)
This vegan mushroom cashew cream pasta may taste decadent, but it’s packed with nutritious ingredients. It’s a creamy mushroom vegan alfredo sauce, ready in 25 minutes! Recipe is dairy-free and can be gluten-free if paired with GF pasta.
Two of the most popular recipes on this blog are my Cashew Cream Tomato Sauce and Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Cream pastas. If you loved either of these dishes, you’re in luck!
Today I’m sharing a recipe for a Mushroom Cashew Cream Pasta. It’s like a mushroomy vegan alfredo sauce, ready in just 25 minutes!
This pasta is completely vegan and dairy-free. That said, even if you eat dairy (like me), you will love the flavour and creaminess of this pasta sauce!
If a gluten-free version of this recipe is needed, simply use a gluten-free pasta. This mushroom cashew cream truly is a great dinner option for multiple dietary preferences.
Plus, this healthy pasta recipe packs in a little more nutrition than a typical cream-based pasta – something I’m often trying to do as a dietitian. Let’s get into those nutrition benefits below!
Want more pasta recipe inspiration? Check out my roundup of 20+ easy, healthy pasta recipes for more ideas!
Mushroom Nutrition Benefits
Not only are mushrooms beyond flavourful and delicious, they are jam-packed with nutrition, too!
Mushrooms are a source of different B vitamins like niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid with a 100-gram serving providing 20, 25, and 20% of your daily needs, respectively.
B vitamins play a critical role in transforming the food we eat into the energy that fuels every process in our body.
In addition to B-vitamins, mushrooms are also a good source of minerals like:
- selenium (15%DV for a 100g serving)
- copper (15%DV)
- potassium (8%DV)
- phosphorus (6%DV)
Something unique about mushrooms? They are actually one of the few non-fortified food sources of vitamin D! Vitamin D plays a critical role in calcium absorption, helping to keep your bones healthy and strong.
Cashew Nutrition Benefits
One of my favourite nuts, cashews are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which help to promote heart health.
Cashews are also a great source of minerals like magnesium and iron.
Finally, cashews provide a small amount of protein – a 1/4 cup serving contains about 5 grams.
Ingredients Needed
All you need to make this vegan pasta recipe are 10 simple, healthy ingredients:
- pasta of choice *use GF pasta if needed
- cremini mushrooms
- raw cashews
- nutritional yeast
- fresh parsley
- dried thyme
- garlic
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
How To Make Cashew Cream
Making this Mushroom Cashew Cream Pasta is super simple! The only fancy equipment required is a high-speed blender (I use this Vitamix).
The best part? There is NO need to soak the cashews! My trick is to add boiling hot water to the blender – the sauce will be extra smooth and creamy in a couple minutes.
To make the cashew cream, start by sautéing cremini mushrooms in a pan for about 10 minutes, until browned and soft.
Add the mushrooms to your high speed blender, along with raw cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, fresh parsley, olive oil, salt, pepper, and boiling hot water (this part is key).
Blend on high until sauce is super smooth. Feel free to add extra boiling water to smooth things out, if necessary. Your creamy mushroom sauce is ready to add to pasta of your choice!
NOTE: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you will need to soak the cashews beforehand. Simply place them in a jar and cover them with water. Let them soak for at least 4 hours, then drain and add to the recipe!
Can You Reheat Cashew Cream Sauce?
As someone who has made a few cashew cream pasta sauces, I recommend keeping any leftover sauce separate from the pasta and serving only what you plan to eat immediately.
I find that the pasta tends to absorb the cashew cream sauce too much if you let it cool, and then it is difficult to reheat and soften.
So if you have leftovers – keep the pasta and sauce separate in the refrigerator. Reheat the pasta on the stovetop or in the microwave, and then stir in the leftover cashew cream.
Alternatively, you could try adding the mushroom cashew cream to other dishes, like warm grain bowls for instance!
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Cream Pasta
- Pasta With Vegan Cashew Cream Tomato Sauce
- Vegan Red Pesto With Sundried Tomatoes
- Creamy Miso Tahini Pasta
- Vegan Hemp Seed Pesto Sauce
- High Protein Pasta With Tempeh Tomato Sauce
Did you give this Mushroom Cashew Cream Pasta Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Vegan Mushroom Cashew Cream Pasta
Ingredients
- Approx. 225 grams pasta of choice
- Approx. 6 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup parsley, chopped (plus more to top)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup boiling hot water
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Cooking spray or oil (e.g. avocado oil)
Instructions
- Rub mushrooms with a damp towel to wipe off any dirt. Slice thinly and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once water has boiled, add pasta and cook according to package directions.
- While water boils, heat a large skillet over medium. Add cooking spray or a little bit of oil to the skillet. Sauté cremini mushrooms for about 10 minutes, until browned and soft.
- Using a kettle, bring at least 3/4 of a cup of water to a boil.
- In a high-speed blender, add HALF of the cremini mushrooms, cashews, nutritional yeast, olive oil, parsley, thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and boiling hot water. Blend on high until very smooth, adding more boiling water as necessary. This should only take a couple minutes!
- Drain pasta and return to pot. Stir in the pasta sauce and toss until well coated. Serve with the other half of the sautéed cremini mushrooms over top and enjoy immediately! Feel free to adjust seasonings, or add an extra sprinkle of nutritional yeast and parsley before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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6 Comments on “Mushroom Cashew Cream Pasta (Vegan)”
Merci pour l’article
You are very welcome! I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
love all of your pastas, carrie!
so creamy, but doesn’t sit in my belly like dairy versions
Yay I’m so happy you love them Natalie!! It’s so great how creamy the cashews get, right?!
It’s so creamy & full of nutrition ~ I love it! Thanks for sharing! =^.^=
Hi Angelina! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it :). Wishing you a very happy start to the new year!!