Easy pasta primavera kept vegan using cashew based cream and flavored with roasted garlic!
This vegan pasta primavera with cashew cream and roasted garlic is one of those perfect weeknight meals because it’s so flavorful you’d swear you spent hours creating it, but in reality it’s ready in about 30 minutes!
The key to the flavor of the luscious sauce is the 8-10 cloves of roasted garlic. If you’ve never roasted garlic, that may sound like an absurd amount of cloves to you, but when garlic is roasted, it becomes subtle and sweet. I’m obsessed with roasted garlic! It’s so easy and versatile, and you can use it in a plethora of dishes for quick, tasty meals!
The roasted garlic is pureed into the cashew cream sauce. Using cashews keeps the cream sauce vegan, and you would never know it’s not made from real cream! (IYKYK!😂) Soaking the cashews does add some time, but it’s hands off and ensures that the cashews become a cream-like sauce. Adding some reserved pasta water in the last step also helps turn the sauce into a silky, dreamy, cream substitute! This is the ultimate vegan hack for creating creamy, comfort food! To make this dish gluten free, simply use your favorite gluten free noodles.
The vegetable choice is completely up to your preferences and can be based on what you have in your fridge needing to be used up. Our garden is producing an abundance of zucchini, so I’m constantly coming up with ways to utilize them. Throwing an entire large zucchini into this pasta dish was a great way to make this dish summer specific, but the type of vegetable can also vary based on the season. I loved the zucchini, cherry tomato, and pea version I made, but if you’re not a fan of tomatoes, throw in some corn kernels, or if you don’t like zucchini or don’t have a garden going crazy, try broccoli, etc! This meal is customizable, which makes it a fun dish to whip together, as you can experiment and go with the flow of your own tastes!
I was so happy it made leftovers. I now have another scrumptious dinner ready to go! The recipe below makes enough sauce for about 4 servings, but you can double the batch and make more. It freezes well, although as you warm the sauce up, you may need to add some extra pasta water to thin it out. Do note, though, to freeze, don’t freeze it mixed into pasta, as pasta is best fresh. Similarly, if you’re planning to freeze, use vegetables that have low moisture content as they don’t become a soggy mess when thawed. Good examples are carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, and squash.
This is such an easy recipe to make for dinner, and leftovers are phenomenal for lunch as they are filling and delicious and tasty both warm and chilled straight from the fridge. The fun part of making this dish is it’s ever variable based on the seasons, your palate, and what happens to be in your fridge, so play around!
Cashews - Use raw cashews, not the kind you buy already roasted.
Lemon Juice - Brightens the richness and balances the creaminess with some added tang. If you don’t have a lemon on hand, in a pinch you can sub some vinegar. Plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar would work well, or for some added flavor, try white wine vinegar.
Water - I just used filtered water, but you could also use broth for added flavor. The liquid helps the cashews puree into a smooth and luscious sauce. If your cashews once blended still seem very thick, add an extra splash or two. The pasta water in the final steps does thin the sauce, too, though, so don’t add too much in the initial blending stage.
Garlic - The bigger the clove the better! You can roast the cloves with the skin on, but they can be a bit sticky removing the cloves after roasting.
Veggie Mix - Summer is a great time to use up your abundant zucchini and cherry tomatoes, but use what you have and vary based on the season! This pasta is your palette, and you are the artist! Picasso it up! 🙂
Noodles - Use your favorite kind and shape! Pasta Primavera isn’t really a traditional Italian pasta, so you can go crazy! If you’re gluten free, use a gluten free pasta, and the dish will be gluten free!
Red Pepper Flakes - Adjust to your own spice level preference. Start with a lesser amount, and taste before adding more. Or skip entirely, if you’re not so “hot” on spice! 🙂
Looking for more vegan and gluten free pasta options? Check out: Miso Tahini Noodles with Sweet Potatoes and Edamame or Quick and Easy Curry Basil Pasta!
VEGAN PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH CASHEW CREAM AND ROASTED GARLIC (V, DF, VG)(GF option)
Yield: serves 2-4
What You'll Need:
¼ cup cashews (soaked in boiling water about an hour, then drained)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup water
8 cloves garlic, skinned
2 medium-large zucchini, quartered and sliced into ½ - 1 inch chunks
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ - ½ cup reserved pasta water
6 ounces dry pasta of preference*
Optional: parmesan cheese, for topping
*gluten free, if desired; for soft diet, try a split pea spaghetti, a lentil fusilli, or a chickpea macaroni
How To Make it
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. While your cashews are soaking, roast your vegetables and garlic! Drizzle the garlic cloves with about a teaspoon of oil and wrap in tin foil. Toss the zucchini pieces and cherry tomatoes with the remaining oil on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until nicely browned. The garlic can be taken out after about 20 minutes.
2. To make the sauce, puree the drained cashews, the roasted garlic, ½ cup water, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper in a high speed blender until smooth.
3. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil; cook pasta according to the box. Be sure to reserve about ½ cup pasta water prior to draining the pasta.
4. Over medium low heat, pour the sauce into a pan, and add the roasted veggies and the pepper flakes.
5. Add the reserved pasta water. Add the pasta, tossing to coat with the sauce. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Serve topped with grated parmesan, if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge, or freeze the sauce separately for leftovers! 🙂
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Abby
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