My creamy vegan pasta sauce is the kind of simple recipe you'll make again and again. Trust me! Made with just soaked cashews, plant-based milk and fresh garlic, it blends into a silky smooth sauce that perfectly coats every pasta noodle!
Are you dreaming of comforting pasta for dinner? This vegan creamy cashew pasta sauce recipe is just begging to be poured over your favorite pasta and topped with flavorful roasted veggies for the perfect weeknight dish. It is 100% on my list of vegan pasta recipes you'll want to make again and again.
Perhaps the best part about this recipe is just how EASY it is to make. Start soaking your cashews now, and with just a bit of blender time you're ready to go. It'll take longer to boil the pasta than it will to make this delicious creamy sauce from scratch!
How to Make It
This is a short ingredient list for a pasta sauce that totally shines! Everything goes into a blender until it's smooth and creamy, and... that's it! Creating a creamy cashew sauce for pasta doesn't get easier than this.
Soaking Cashews to Make Vegan Cream
The secret to success with homemade cashew cream is soaking the cashews! This softens the them and prepares them to be blended into a creamy, smooth texture. You can soak them overnight, or shorten the process by using boiling water and letting them soak for about an hour.
Make sure you rinse them well before using them for this recipe. A good quality high speed blender is also important for creamy (not gritty/chunky!) sauce.
Why I Love Cashews
I always buy cashews in bulk because they come in handy all the time. My easy homemade vegan cashew cream is a great way to add thickness and creaminess to any dish.
Cashews also offer plant-based protein and are also incredibly nutrient dense (ideal for vegans!). They are considered an excellent source of copper and a good source of magnesium, manganese, vitamin K, phosphorous and zinc.
In addition to being vegan, this creamy cashew sauce for pasta is also soy-free and gluten-free for a plant-based, allergy-friendly dinner dish. I honestly love the clean white color. I also love this vegan rose-style pasta sauce just by adding a little marinara!
Print
Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce with Cashews
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
My creamy vegan pasta sauce is the kind of simple recipe you'll make again and again. Trust me! Made with just soaked cashews, plant-based milk and fresh garlic, it blends into a silky smooth sauce that perfectly coats every pasta noodle!
Ingredients
- 1 cups raw cashews, soaked in advance, then drained and rinsed*
- ¾ cups unsweetened plain almond milk or oat milk
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Serve with any pasta (this makes enough for 12 ounces of pasta) and 1 batch of my simple sautéed broccoli with garlic (pictured) for a delicious meal!
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend on the highest speed for one minute until perfectly smooth and creamy. Use this sauce overtop your favorite hot pasta. Done!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
*To soak the cashews, place in a large container and fill with 2 cups of filtered water. Soak for 8 hours for best results. If you are short on time you can give them a quick soak using boiling water for about an hour. Either way you want to completely drain the soaking water and rinse the cashews well before using in the this recipe. The cashews will absorb some of the soaking water and swell so the measurement post-soaking will be slightly more than ⅕ cups and that is okay. Just measure the cashews before you soak them and use all soaked cashews for this recipe.
Optional: add 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast to this recipe for a cheesy flavor and nutrition boost.
Storage and Reheating: The sauce will thicken slightly when stored in the refrigerator after a couple of hours. Thin out the sauce with reserved pasta water (or filtered water) if desired before using. Add ½ ladle of reserved pasta water at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: pasta
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Italian
Kiara B says
Loved the recipe! So quick snd easy to make!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Kiara! I'm so happy you enjoyed this one! My favorite thing about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make - well said! 🙂 Best, Elaine
Marie says
Absolutely delicious every time I make this sauce! Sometimes I add a pinch of basil salt and dribble the sauce over drained, canned white beans and have also topped smashed potatoes with it as well! Such a keeper recipe! Thank you Elaine!!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Marie! So Happ you enjoy this one consistently. Sounds like you have fun with it and make it your own. If there is anything I can do to make it a five star rating please let me know. Best, Elaine
Marie says
It was supposed to be 5 stars but somehow it only posted 4 😭
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much for re-rating it, Marie! I greatly appreciate it! I hope you continue to enjoy this one. Best, Elaine