We don’t often make pasta dishes, but sometimes that comfort food craving hits and pasta is the only cure. While we typically opt for mac & cheese, there’s something to be said for the rich, umami flavor you get with mushroom alfredo! In lieu of heavy cream, butter and cheese, we made a simple cashew cream that mimics both the texture and taste of the real thing.
We used five different types of mushrooms in this dish to enrich the flavor & vary the texture, but if you would prefer to use fewer varieties, I’d suggest the shiitake, portobello and button. Peas and spinach add a touch of freshness, while walnuts add a nutty crunch. I top mine with a very generous serving of fresh parsley – my favorite herb – to lighten it up a bit!
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Creamy, dreamy vegan mushroom alfredo: a comfort classic made significantly healthier!
Ingredients
Cashew Cream Alfredo:
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for 1–2 hours in water
- 1 cup water
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Pasta:
- 8 oz cooked gluten free or regular fettuccine pasta (or other pasta or choice)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves finely minced garlic
- 4 tbsp minced shallots
- 4 oz chanterelle mushrooms
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
- 2 large portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 4 oz clamshell mushrooms, broken into smaller clusters
- 4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 tbsp freshly chopped parsley – reserve 1 tbsp for garnish
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Instructions
Alfredo:
- Presoak cashews for 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse cashews.
- Add cashews and water to high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy (about 60 seconds).
- Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to remove any extra cashew pieces.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of cream to rinsed blender. Add nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Blend until ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
Pasta:
- Cook pasta according to directions.
- Heat a large saucepan to medium. Add olive oil, garlic and shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add all washed and sliced mushrooms, white wine, red pepper and salt. Cook until mushrooms are softened, stirring frequently.
- When mushrooms are tender, add spinach, peas, walnuts, parsley, dill, chives, and cashew cream and stir well. Cook about 5 min more or until peas have just softened. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Add cooked pasta to pan and coat well. (It helps to use tongs!)
- Serve topped with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Tongs are a helpful tool when it comes to properly coating this pasta.
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