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Vegan Cheesy Pasta

Vegan Cheesy Pasta Sauce (Cashew Alfredo)

The Pesky Vegan
This vegan cheesy pasta sauce is rich, smooth, creamy, and healthy. Better yet, you can put it together in less time than it takes to cook a pot of pasta.
5 from 10 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan
Servings 2
Calories 668 kcal

Ingredients
 

Cheesy sauce

  • ½ cup (75 g) unsalted cashew nuts
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup (120 ml) plant-based milk or water (plus more if necessary)
  • Juice and zest of half a lemon (zest optional, just remember to grate before juicing)
  • Good pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Serving suggestion: spaghetti with spinach and tomatoes

  • 7 oz (200 g) dried spaghetti (gluten-free if necessary)
  • Large handful cherry or baby plum tomatoes, halved (approx. ¾ cup / 100 g)
  • Large handful fresh spinach (approx. 3 cups / 100 g)
  • Chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions
 

  • First things first, get your pasta cooking in some boiling water (follow package instructions).
  • Once that's on the go, it’s a simple case of throwing all the sauce ingredients into a blender and whizzing until smooth. Start with ½ cup (120 ml) of plant-based milk, and increase this amount if the sauce seems too thick. It should be fairly loose, but thick enough to easily coat the back of a spoon. It’ll thicken up more once added to the pasta.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust the flavours to your liking. It should be slightly overpowering by itself, but it'll be perfect once you mix it through the hot pasta.
  • If following my serving suggestion, add the spinach to the pasta pot for the final 30 seconds of cooking time. Once cooked, drain the pasta and spinach and return to the pan. Stir in the tomatoes and smooth cheesy sauce before serving with chopped parsley and homemade vegan parmesan.

Notes

Soak cashews: For extra creaminess, you can soak the cashews for five minutes in boiled water. This is useful if your blender isn't very powerful, but not really necessary if you have a good blender. 
Other nuts: Cashews are best since they’re creamy and have a relatively neutral flavour, but this could also work with e.g. pine nuts.  
Lemon zest: If you want to add more lemon flavour, grate half a lemon (prior to juicing it!) and throw the zest in as well. I personally like adding the zest, but I realise that other people might prefer the emphasis to be on the garlic/cheesy flavour. 
Plant-based milk: I’d recommend using oat, cashew, or soya milk, and I’d probably avoid rice or almond milk. I definitely wouldn’t use coconut milk for this pasta sauce. You could also just use water instead of plant-based milk, but it won't be quite as tasty. 
Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a plant-based milk that is certified or labelled as such.
Wild garlic: This is an excellent replacement for spinach, and is usually found around April in the UK. If it grows near you and is in season, give it a go! 
Serve with: Feel free to add anything else you want. I've had this vegan cheesy pasta sauce with sautéed onion, mushroom, courgette, and broccoli, as well as with chopped vegan sausages. It's also great when topped off with smoky vegan bacon bits.
Storage: While this sauce is delicious and creamy with freshly cooked pasta, it'll go a bit clumpy if stored in the fridge after you mix it into the pasta. If you're making a big batch of the sauce and want to keep some, refrigerate it on its own. Store in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to six months. 
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* The nutrition info below is for one serving (see suggestion in recipe above), based on a total of two servings. 

Nutrition

Calories: 668kcalCarbohydrates: 103gProtein: 30gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 666mgPotassium: 1207mgFiber: 11gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 5062IUVitamin C: 40mgVitamin D: 25µgCalcium: 183mgIron: 7mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Cheesy Pasta Sauce (Cashew Alfredo)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 668 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Sodium 666mg29%
Potassium 1207mg34%
Carbohydrates 103g34%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 5062IU101%
Vitamin C 40mg48%
Vitamin D 25µg167%
Calcium 183mg18%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword quick vegan dinner, vegan cheesy sauce, vegan pasta sauce
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