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This pasta sauce recipe is so creamy and delicious that you’ll never guess its primary ingredient is cauliflower. I have made the recipe vegan by adding vegan substitutes for the butter, cheese, and milk, but trust me, it is just as delicious as any cream-based sauce. This is the perfect recipe to sneak some extra vegetables into your diet. I personally love this pasta dish served with a side of roasted broccoli or brussel sprouts.
Ingredients:
2 lbs spiral pasta
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp vegan butter
1 head cauliflower
1/2 cup cashews (soaked in water for at least an hour)
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup basil
1/3 cup reserved vegetable water
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp nutritional yeast*
1 tsp each of salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegan pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup cashew milk
*Nutritional yeast is used a lot in vegan recipes to give it a more cheesy flavor; it is also packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients like B12 and thiamine. I usually find it in the natural aisle of the grocery store, and sometimes you can even find it in the bulk bins, but lately I’ve been buying it through Amazon.
Method:
1.Bring a pot of water to a boil and pour in the dry pasta and frozen peas. Once the pasta is soft, drain the water and stir in the vegan butter. Set aside for now.
2.Cut your head of cauliflower into small florets and place in another pot of boiling water along with the cashews and garlic. Drain the water, reserving 1/3 cup to make the sauce. Add the cauliflower, cashews, garlic, and reserved water to the blender, along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth.
3.Serve pasta topped with the delicious cauliflower sauce.
Creamy Vegan Pasta. (Andrea Sadowski/The Cascade)
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.
