Sometimes great meals come from happy accidents – and this meal is definitely one of them! To pull back the curtain a little bit, my recipe developing process varies a bit: sometimes I work on a recipe and get it right the first time, sometimes it takes a few tries, and sometimes (although pretty rarely) I’ll end up abandoning an idea I’ve had. I have been thinking about alfredo sauces for a while now because I eat pasta so often that I wanted another easy option for this go-to meal of mine.
So, the first time I worked on this recipe, I used WAY too much vegan butter and the sauce would not stay together. I was really frustrated, and I sort of gave up on it. Luckily, my partner was there to help me experiment, and he suggested adding a bit of the leftover pasta water to the mix to help it. And it worked pretty well!
But I still wasn’t all that satisfied, so I took some time to think it over. I reduced the amount of butter and added in some coconut milk for extra creaminess. I also planned to use some parsley for garnish in the dish.
HOWEVER, as I was preparing the sauce, I accidentally added the parsley leaves to the blender with the rest of the ingredients! When I realized what I had done, I was a bit annoyed with myself. But as I started blending, the sauce turned into such a wonderful light green color that I couldn’t stay mad. Then, when I added the peas, the sauce and peas complemented each other so well.
All of this to say, sometimes you’ll make mistakes in the kitchen! You’ll use too much oil, and make a sauce that isn’t photogenic or recipe perfect. Most of the time it’ll still be good enough to eat (sometimes it won’t – I’ll talk about my “Dubious Food” at some point). Sometimes, you’ll make mistakes that turn out even better than you were originally planning! That’s all part of learning and experimenting and enjoying cooking and baking.
This alfredo sauce is smooth and creamy, and comes together in under 30 minutes. Substitute your favorite pasta (and use gluten-free pasta if needed!) to make this dish your own. You can also change out the peas for other veggies, like roasted vegetables or sundried tomatoes.
I would love the hear how this recipe turns out for you and what changes you make 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!
Vegan Parsley Alfredo Linguine
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 8 servings your favorite pasta
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup vegan butter melted
- 4 tbsp canned coconut milk unsweetened
- 2 tbsp parsley leaves
- ½ tbsp fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package directions. Salt the water well after it starts to boil. Set aside when done.
- In a small pot, bring the cashews to a boil with water (not the ½ cup of water). Let boil for 15 minutes and then drain well.
- In another pot (you can also reuse the pot you made the cashews in), bring water to a boil and add the frozen peas. When the water begins to simmer again, remove from heat and drain the peas. Set the peas aside.
- While the cashews are boiling, add all of the other ingredients to a blender (not the pasta or peas).
- When the cashews are done, add them to the blender and blend until everything is fully incorporated, smooth, and creamy. Adjust the salt and pepper as desired to taste.
- In a large bowl, mix together the green alfredo sauce, the pasta, and the peas. Serve warm.
Notes
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