There are a few cooking hacks I’ve learnt since I’ve become vegan, and thought to myself ‘why didn’t I know about this earlier?’
Nutritional yeast is one of these – it’s like this sprinkle stuff that has a parmesan flavour, and is great for a protein boost, as well as providing a host of awesome nutrients. You can sprinkle it on kale chips, in puff pastry with seasoning, or add it to dishes to give them a cheesy flavour.
Then there is coconut cream – did you know that you can whip coconut cream and it comes out like whipped cream?
How cool is that!
Cream… cheese… milk… some of them go off so quickly and is a pretty decent chunk out of your grocery bill (plus, I never used to use all the cream when I did stuff like this, so half got wasted). Vegan products might be an initial layout, but my nutritional yeast has lasted FOREVER.
Anyway, then there are cashews. They’re amazing.
You can use them to make cheese, cream, milk…. pretty much any dairy product if you combine them with the right thing and it amazes me all the time.
This creamy vegan pasta is divine. I’ve had it so many times lately I’m worried I’m going to give myself an aversion to it! It’s also so easy to make, and way less naughty (fat-wise especially) than cream from a cow. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten cream, but I swear it tastes the real deal too, and it comes out all wonderful and creamy. Oh my.
To the recipe…
- ½ cup cashews
- 200g (or thereabouts) gluten-free spagetti
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Dash of olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 mushrooms (decent size - mine were about 4cm in diameter), sliced thinly
- 2 Tablespoons flaked almonds
- Smokey paprika (to taste - about ¼ teaspoon)
- Soak your cashews in water for up to 8 hours (the longer you soak them, the creamier your sauce will be). They should puff up to about twice the size.
- Drain this water, and then place the cashews in the blender with 1 cup water, the nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and blend until it forms a creamy sauce. Set aside.
- Set aside and cook your pasta according to packet directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, place your almonds and paprika in a dry frypan (no oil) and fry lightly for a few moments - once you can smell the paprika, take them off the heat and set aside.
- When the pasta is about half way through, heat a frypan with a dash of olive oil.
- Once the pan is super hot - add your sliced mushrooms and cook for about 30 seconds (just so they have enough time to brown but not cook) and then add your frozen peas.
- Fry for about 4-5 minutes.
- By this time your pasta should be done. Drain your pasta.
- Add your sauce to the frypan with the peas and mushrooms and then add your pasta - cook for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce is heated through and everything is combined.
- Top with your almond mix and season well with salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!
P.S. Check out other vegan recipes from around the globe at the Virtual Vegan Potluck!