Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini

This Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini is the perfect comforting meal that is full of rich flavor and easy to prepare. It has a thick and luscious one-minute dairy-free cream sauce that is made in your blender and poured overtop the sautéed mushrooms. This recipe is made with simple clean ingredients and is naturally gluten free, plant-based and soy free. It is one of my favorite quick and cozy recipes for busy weeknights, in-home date nights or entertaining a crowd.  

This velvety pasta dish has been on regular rotation in our household lately.  It is special enough for an in-home date night (I see you, Valentine's Day) but also easy enough to serve on any weeknight.  Traditional creamy pasta dishes are made with heavy cream and butter and offer little nutritional value.  This lightened-up Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini recipe offers plant-based protein from the cashew cream sauce.  If you haven't tried using raw cashews blended with water to replace heavy cream, you are in for a real treat!  It is my go-to vegan stand-in for anything creamy.

The Vegan Garlic Cream Sauce

The vegan garlic cream sauce is super decadent and similar to an Alfredo-style sauce.  To make it, all you do is blend together raw cashews, water, garlic, salt and pepper.  It can be made in advance if desired.  I have served it overtop zucchini noodles as well for a lighter dish and it is simply divine!

Do you need to soak your cashews in advance?

You can soak the raw cashews in advance to make them more easily digestible but this is not required. If you have a high powered blender then the sauce will be super creamy even without soaking. Otherwise, soaking the cashews overnight or for an hour in boiling water can help them get creamier. I have had great success with this blender even without soaking the cashews in advance. Learn all about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post!

And for more information on cashews, check out my complete guide on Cashews Benefits for Vegans (+ Recipes).

This Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini pasta recipe is fantastic served with a light salad.  You can also add broccoli or spinach to the pasta dish if you want to sneak in some greens.  Asparagus and peas would also work well here.

I'm always amazed at how easily this dish comes together.  And no one ever believes the sauce doesn't contain heavy cream or butter!

Now, let’s make this Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini!

Who's ready for pasta night?  I'm pretty pumped.  This Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini recipe is vegan, gluten-free, peanut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, egg-free and dairy-free.

When you make this recipe, snap a pic and use the hashtag #eatingbyelaine on INSTAGRAM to be featured in my stories.

Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini

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• Author: Elaine Gordon
• Total Time: 25
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

This Creamy Vegan Garlic Mushroom Fettuccini is the perfect comforting meal that is full of rich flavor and easy to prepare.  It has a thick and luscious one-minute dairy-free cream sauce that is made in your blender and poured overtop the sautéed mushrooms.  This recipe is made with simple clean ingredients and is naturally gluten free, plant-based and soy free.  It is one of my favorite quick and cozy recipes for busy weeknights, in-home date nights or entertaining a crowd.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 8 ounces gluten-free Fettuccini (I used Tinkyada brown rice fettuccini from Whole Foods)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 16 large white button mushrooms, sliced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, stems removed
• ¼-½ cup reserved pasta water
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives for garnish

Creamy Vegan Garlic Sauce

• 1 cup raw cashews; Learn all about How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews in this post
• ½ cup filtered water
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

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Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt your water (I add one tablespoon of salt to the pot).  Cook the fettuccini according to the package instructions.  (For this recipe we will be reserving some of the pasta water so be sure not to drain it all through a colander.  I use a strainer or tongs to transfer the pasta from the pot into the saute pan once it is finished cooking).  
2. While the pasta cooks, saute the mushrooms.  Heat oil in a non-stick, non-toxic 10-inch saute pan over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute for 20 minutes over medium heat until browned.  At first the mushrooms will look very dry - this is normal - do not add more oil.  After a couple more minutes they will release their liquids.  Continue to cook them down until all the liquid has evaporated and they start to sear in the pan.  Add freshly chopped parsley at the end and set aside.
3. While the mushrooms and pasta cook make the sauce in your blender.  To your blender add raw cashews, filtered water, garlic salt and pepper and blend on the highest speed for one minute.  Scrape down the sides and blend again to ensure there are no gritty bits left on the sides of the blender.  Set aside.
4. To assemble, transfer the fettuccini noodles to the saute pan with the mushrooms.  Pour the sauce overtop and add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water.  Saute over low heat for one minute to allow everything to combine well.  If it is dry add another ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water.  Divide the pasta over 4 plates or bowls.  Garnish with fresh chives and more parsley if desired.

Notes

• You may want to add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.  If you add the crushed red pepper flakes early in the cooking process they will release more heat.  If you want a subtle heat then add at the very end.
• Feel free to incorporate more veggies into this dish such as steamed broccoli, asparagus, peas, spinach (add during the last minute or so) or roasted cauliflower.  You cannot go wrong with this dish!  If the final product looks a bit dry add an additional ladle of pasta water to thin out the cream sauce and evenly coat the dish.  Or, feel free to double the sauce recipe to make enough for a vegetable loaded pasta dish.

• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 20
• Category: Entree
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

• Cashews
• Vegetables
• Fall
• Winter
• Valentine's Day
• Gluten-Free
• Refined Sugar-Free
• Vegan
• No-Bake
• Easy
• Kid-Friendly
• Quick