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Creamy Mushroom Alfredo

Need a new healthy twist on a pasta favorite? This one checks all the boxes. Nutrient dense, simple, healthy and DELICIOUS!

This is a vegan twist on the classic Alfredo sauce that we grew up eating. The cashews and nutritional yeast give this dish its creamy cheezy flavor without any of the heavy dairy, inflammation or bloat. Win-Win!

We paired this delicious sauce with protein rich black bean spaghetti, but it honestly tastes good on everything. Add it to your favorite kind of noodles, veggies, eggs, fish or really anything else your heart desires.

This recipe is all about the sauce and in this case we paired it with mushrooms since they’re a nutritional powerhouse and protein rich black bean spaghetti, but we always encourage you to make this your own by adding in extra veggies, tofu or some shredded chicken.

We’d love to hear what delicious versions you and your family come up with. Pasta night is always a great night in our house and we hope this one makes it to your dinner plates too.

Creamy Mushroom Alfredo with Black Bean Pasta

serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw cashews

  • 3/4 cup water

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • squeeze of lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup onion, diced

  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp dried rosemary

  • 12 oz. package black bean spaghetti noodles

  • 8 oz. package of mushrooms, finely chopped

  • Additional options: shredded chicken, cooked tofu, extra veggies, parsley on top

Instructions:

  1. Make the Alfredo sauce first. Pour the cashews in a bowl and add boiling water to cover them. Let them sit for at least 20 minutes or even overnight on your counter.

  2. After the cashews have soaked, drain and rinse them. Add them along with 3/4 cup water, garlic, lemon juice, diced onion, nutritional yeast and the salt to a food processor or blender. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside.

  3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook the black bean noodles according to the package directions.

  4. Heat a pan over medium high heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chopped mushrooms. Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Continue cooking for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

  5. Add the cooked noodles, mushrooms, and Alfredo sauce altogether and stir until incorporated and heated through.

  6. Mix in any additional meat, tofu or veggies and top with parsley.