This creamy vegan mushroom pasta pairs tender fettuccine and savory sautéed garlic mushrooms with a velvety cashew cream sauce. The dairy-free sauce comes together in the blender in about one minute, making this an easy yet comforting dinner for busy weeknights, date nights or entertaining.
The combination of garlicky cashew cream and deeply browned mushrooms gives this pasta such rich, satisfying flavor. It tastes indulgent, but it is made with simple, wholesome ingredients and is naturally vegan, gluten-free and soy-free.
This mushroom fettuccine has been on regular rotation in our house lately. It feels special enough for an at-home date night (Valentine's Day included) but requires very little hands-on preparation. No one ever believes the luxuriously creamy sauce is made without butter or heavy cream!
Why You'll Love This Vegan Mushroom Pasta
Rich and creamy: Raw cashews create an incredibly smooth Alfredo-style sauce without any dairy.
- Quick and easy: The sauce takes about one minute to make in a high-speed blender.
- Perfect for different occasions: It is easy enough for a weeknight but elegant enough to serve guests.
- Simple ingredients: You only need cashews, water, garlic, seasonings, mushrooms and pasta.
- Allergy-friendly: This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free, egg-free and refined sugar-free.
The Creamy Vegan Garlic Sauce
The dairy-free cream sauce is what makes this vegan mushroom pasta so irresistible. It is thick, luscious and similar to an Alfredo sauce, but it is made without butter, cheese or heavy cream.
To prepare it, simply blend raw cashews with water and salt until completely smooth. That's it! Pour the sauce over the sautéed mushrooms, add the cooked fettuccine and toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated.
The sauce can also be made in advance, which makes this recipe even easier to prepare when dinnertime rolls around. I have served it over zucchini noodles for a lighter option, and it is delicious that way too.
Do You Need to Soak the Cashews?
If you have a high-powered blender, you do not need to soak the raw cashews before making the sauce. They should blend into a perfectly smooth and creamy consistency (just add an extra ¼ cup of water).
If your blender is not as powerful, soaking the cashews will help soften them and create a smoother sauce. You can soak them overnight or use the quick-soak method by covering them with boiling water for about one hour.
I have had excellent results using this blender without soaking the cashews first.
For more tips, see my complete guide to how and why to soak cashews. You can also learn more about cooking with cashews in my guide to cashew benefits for vegans.
Tips for the Best Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Allow the mushrooms to cook until they are deeply browned and caramelized. This concentrates their savory flavor and makes a big difference in the finished dish.
For the creamiest sauce, blend until no pieces of cashew remain. If the sauce becomes too thick after it is combined with the pasta, add a splash of reserved pasta water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Be sure to use certified gluten-free fettuccine if needed. You can also substitute another long pasta shape, such as linguine or spaghetti.
Optional Additions
This creamy vegan mushroom fettuccine is satisfying on its own, but it is also easy to customize. Try adding:
- Baby spinach
- Roasted or steamed broccoli or broccolini
- Sautéed asparagus
- Fresh herbs
- A sprinkle of vegan Parmesan
Add spinach directly to the skillet and allow it to wilt into the warm sauce. Heartier vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus can be cooked separately and folded into the pasta before serving.
What to Serve With Vegan Mushroom Fettuccine
Serve this creamy mushroom pasta with a crisp green salad or a simple roasted vegetable for a complete meal. Garlic bread would also be delicious for soaking up every last bit of the cashew cream sauce.
Whether you make it for a cozy weeknight dinner or serve it to guests, this creamy vegan mushroom pasta delivers plenty of rich, garlicky, buttery flavor with surprisingly little effort.
Ready for pasta night? Let's make it!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and review below. You can also snap a photo and tag @eatingbyelaine or use #eatingbyelaine on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Print
Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccine
- Total Time: 25
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This creamy vegan mushroom pasta pairs tender fettuccine and savory sautéed garlic mushrooms with a velvety cashew cream sauce. The dairy-free sauce comes together in the blender in about one minute, making this an easy yet comforting dinner for busy weeknights, date nights or entertaining.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Fettuccini (gluten-free if desired)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 16 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- ½ teaspoon fine salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼-½ cup reserved pasta water
- Homemade Vegan Heavy Cream
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives for garnish
- vegan parm and freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Use tongs or a pasta strainer to transfer the cooked pasta from the pot so the pasta water remains available.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the avocado oil in a nonstick 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt and garlic powder. Sauté for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are deeply browned and slightly crispy. The pan may look dry at first, but do not add more oil. The mushrooms will release their liquid as they cook. Continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to sear and become golden brown.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While the pasta and mushrooms cook, prepare the vegan heavy cream in a blender.
- Turn off the heat beneath the sauté pan. Add the cooked fettuccine, vegan heavy cream and ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated. If needed, add more pasta water, a little at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Divide among four plates or bowls and garnish with fresh chives. Serve immediately.
Notes
For additional richness and creaminess, stir 1-2 tablespoons of vegan butter into the finished pasta before serving.
For a touch of heat, add one or two pinches of crushed red pepper flakes. Adding them earlier in the cooking process will create a spicier dish, while stirring them in at the end will provide more subtle heat.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Erin says
Can’t believe this recipe has no reviews- it’s incredible! Decadent, dreamy, and oh so simple/quick. Made it with baby bellas and added frozen peas and served on Buccatini. Absolutely divine and big crowd pleaser. Can’t wait to make again.
Elaine Gordon says
Aw thank you! I really appreciate your five star review, Erin! Thank you for taking the time. I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it and I love your addition of the peas! Sounds like a fun pasta shape for this dish too! I hope you enjoy it whenever you make it again! Best, Elaine