So many veganized versions of our favorite dishes taste… well… veganized. And as much as we want to eat plant-based when possible, there are some recipes that just don’t hold up when the animal products are removed. This, friends, is not one of those recipes.
This creamy, rich, cashew-based alfredo pasta has fooled even the most discerning dairy fans in our households.
This recipe is an ode to cashews. What would vegans do without you?
Another powerhouse ingredient is nutritional yeast or “nooch” which is actually a deactivated form of yeast. It adds a cheesy flavor to this sauce without the dairy, and packs a great nutritional punch.
With the inclusion of add-ins like roasted broccoli, crunchy chickpeas and sun dried tomatoes, this pasta dish bursts with texture and flavor. It tastes indulgent, but won’t weigh you down like a traditional pasta alfredo. Vegan or not, give this recipe a go and let us know what you think!
Here’s what you need to do:
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Chop a head of broccoli into bite sized pieces and spread on one sheet pan. Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and spread on a second sheet. Drizzle each pan with a bit of olive oil and garlic salt, and toss to coat your broccoli and chickpeas evenly. Roast both of these pans in the oven for 25 minutes or until everything is nice and crispy.
Meanwhile, place a cup of cashews into a heatproof bowl. Boil enough water to cover the cashews, and soak the cashews in the boiling water for at least 5 minutes to soften them up.
While you’re waiting, cook a pound of pasta in heavily salted water according to its directions. Any short pasta would be great here – farfalle, shells, penne, rotini, etc. We used large macaroni.
To make the cashew sauce, simply drain the cashews and place into a blender with some water, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic salt (or equal parts salt and garlic powder), juice from half a lemon, and lots of nooch. Blend until it is totally smooth and adjust salt to taste.
When your pasta is nice and al-dente, drain it and reserve a bit of pasta water. Return it back to the pot and add cashew sauce, roasted broccoli and chickpeas, sun dried tomatoes, and a bit of pasta water as needed to thin out the sauce and help it stick to the pasta. Stir to combine and serve. This recipe makes a lot of pasta and would be great to serve to a crowd, pack for lunches, or bring along for a picnic since it can be served hot or cold.
Creamy Cashew Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli and Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews soaked for 10 minutes
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 can chickpeas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 pound short pasta (substitue GF pasta if desired)
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- juice of one half lemon
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Chop broccoli into small florets. Drain, rinse, and pat dry chickpeas. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, 1 tbsp garlic salt, and black pepper to taste. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway.
- Place cashews into a bowl, boil water, and cover cashews with water to soak for at least 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. When pasta is al dente, reserve ½ cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
- Make the cashew cream. Drain cashews and add to a food processor or blender. Add ¾ cup water, dijon, nutritional yeast, juice from half of a lemon, and garlic salt and blend until creamy.
- Combine ingredients. In a large bowl, add drained pasta, cashew cream, sun dried tomatoes, and roasted broccoli and chickpeas. If needed, use reserved pasta water to thin the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
