My family’s go-to fancy restaurant growing up was always Olive Garden. This was where we went on special occasions – graduations and birthdays. Creamy pasta dishes are a pretty big staple at Olive Garden (not to mention the bread sticks and salad, but maybe I’ll tackle those in another post). For a long time when I first went vegan, I thought a lot of creamy dishes would be “off-the-menu” forever for me!
But there are lots of vegan alternatives that can make your creamy recipes a reality. My go-to for creamy dishes is usually cashew cream – it’s easy to make and I don’t have to buy any special ingredients (just cashews and water). You can make as much of it as you need for a recipe, too, as the ratio is 2 parts cashews to 1 part water. I generally find that 1/2 cup of cashews is enough for 2 servings of whatever sauce you are making. You can scale up from there!
Then, all you need to do it blend those cashews in a blender! High speed blenders will get you an even creamier consistency (and they will do it much quicker), but less efficient blenders with less sharp blades will work fine as well (honestly, that’s what I’m working with at home right now – my partner’s mom gave us HER old blender, so we’re using a hand-me-down). You can flavor the cashew cream with whatever you’d like – spicy, sweet, savory, cheesy, the sky’s the limit.
In the recipe, I’ve made a creamy, slightly cheesy, sauce that pairs perfectly with the sauteed kale and mushrooms. The entire recipe can be pulled together in under 25 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight or a busy weekend. And there are no special ingredients needed – you’ll likely have everything you need already in your pantry or on your spice shelf. It also doesn’t even require any chopping – you can just tear the kale off the stems and cook the mushrooms as they come.
I used Rigatoni in this recipe because I like to try using different kinds of pasta shapes, but you can use whatever kind of pasta you’d like. Spaghetti or Angel Hair pasta would probably work very well, too. And don’t forget: you can substitute gluten-free pasta to make this meal completely gluten free.
This quick and easy Creamy Vegan Kale & Mushroom Pasta uses just one pan and your blender, but really packs a flavorful punch. I would love the hear what you think of this recipe and if you made any changes to it. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!
Creamy Vegan Kale & Mushroom Pasta
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
Cream Sauce
- ½ cup cashews raw, unsalted
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp vegetable broth
- salt & pepper to taste
Other Ingredients
- 2 servings your favorite pasta* I used rigatoni
- 4 cups kale
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms
Instructions
- Make your pasta following package instructions. Set aside.
- Boil the cashews in water for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, drain the cashews and add them to a blender. Add the ¼ cup of water and start to blend.
- Once the cashews have started to get creamy, add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth & creamy.
- In a small sauté pan, add a dash of olive oil or vegetable broth and heat over medium heat. When hot, add the mushrooms.
- Sauté for 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms start to brown and get smaller. Add the kale and cook, covered, for another 2 minutes, or until the kale has begun wilting.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the pasta and the sauce. Mix well and serve hot.
Notes
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