I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cashews are the most magical things ever! You can use them to make savory salad dressings, sweet desserts and amazingly creamy alfredo sauce. I’m convinced that there isn’t anything you can’t make with cashews!
A great cashew tip I’ve just started doing is boiling them for about 30 minutes before I use them instead of soaking them overnight. It works really well to soften them up and I can now make cashew alfredo on a whim instead of having to plan for it the night before.
While creamy pasta dishes like this one scream comfort food, this dish is extra comforting to me because it was inspired by one of my favorite childhood foods, Annie’s Alfredo Shells and Cheese. Mac and Cheese is good and all, but Alfredo sauce has so much more flavor and in my opinion it just blows regular mac and cheese away. Although, I have never been known to say no to creamy pasta 🙂
Cashews are naturally slightly sweet, so when making a savory sauce out of them it is important to use un-sweetened milk and season it up with a bunch of savory spices. The real hero flavors in this cashew alfredo are the basil and the Herbs De Provence. Herbs De Provence is a mixture of dried thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage, and lavender. I bought it randomly a while ago because it was on sale and it is now my go-to spice that I put on just about everything!
If you have any doubts about the magical power of cashews I think this creamy alfredo sauce will change your mind!
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Cashew Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta, I used shells
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Cashew Alfredo Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight or boiled for 30 minutes
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons plain, un-sweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 3 teaspoons Herbs De Provence
- overflowing 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. When pasta is 3 minutes from being done, add the broccoli florets. Drain pasta and broccoli and add Alfredo sauce. Stir until combined and serve hot.
- To make the Cashew Alfredo Sauce, add all ingredients into a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Category: Entree, Gluten Free, Vegan
I hope you are talking about cashew nuts and not the fruit! Because you only said “cashews” and that’s the fruit… I hope I don’t mess it up
The nuts!
I’m quite new to the vegan and gluten free cooking. I can find gluten free pasta shells but not both vegan and gluten free. What brand did you use?
I used delallo brown rice pasta for this recipe which I believe is also vegan but I’m not 100% sure. There are a lot of bean based pastas that are gluten free and vegan though!
Hi, this recipe sounds great! My daughter and I are new to the vegetarian world but are eager to make the transition. Question, is there a substitute for nutritional yeast? Also, is that Herbs De Provence seasoning pack available in regular grocery or specialty stores?
Hi Paula, sorry for the late response. There isn’t really a sub for nutritional yeast. It adds a nice cheesy taste that you can’t really get with anything else. It probably would still be good even if you let it out, but just a little less cheesy tasing. It should available in the regular grocery store but you could always sup dried Italian herbs instead 🙂
WOW! I made this last night and it was beyond my expectations. I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. Be aware that just like regular Alfredo sauce, this is very, very rich so you may want to use less than you think you need at first. I used it on whole wheat pasta with sauteed onions and mushrooms (oil-free) and it was so good my carnivore husband loved it too! Next i will try it on scalloped potatoes. Thanks for an outstanding recipe!
That’s so nice to hear, Shelby!! I’m glad you and your husband both enjoyed it! I love the idea of using it in scalloped potatoes!!
Hi, I really want to try this with my picky teen who loves Alfredo. What’s the purpose of the yeast, and can it be omitted? Thank you
It gives a nice cheesy flavor. If you can’t find it I think it would be ok without but I really like the flavor it gives.
I have made and tried several different vegan Alfredo sauces and I have to say this is the best one!
Yah! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you! 🙂
I just made this sauce and it came out soooo good! I love it and I think I will make it my new favorite pasta sauce! The only thing I added was a tablespoon of soy sauce to make it a little saltier. Thank you for this great recipe!
That’s so great to hear, Libby! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi Izzy!
I have just found your web stite. Have company coming that are gluten and vegetarian. Panic what should I fix!! Found you! Am so excited at the recipes I have found. They actually sound good. Have been frustrated at times when I have looked for vegetarian dishes.
Love the peoples comments and your advice and thank yous.
Not sure which recipe to try for company …….looking forward to trying many as time goes on, Would love to convince my meat eating husband to enjoy a few nts of vegetarian meals!!! I think with your help I will get there!!
Hi Susan! Gluten free and vegetarian can definitely be overwhelming sometimes but it’s usually easier than you think! I hope you can find some recipes here that they will enjoy! Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂
Recently found out my (breastfed) baby has a milk allergy and I need to go dairy-free. I have been CRAVING a creamy pasta and this really hit the spot! Never thought it would taste good, but even my husband thinks it’s great. Thank you! My only mistake was soaking the cashews overnight on my countertop. They got moldy! So then I boiled another batch for the recipe. Next time I’ll soak them in the fridge.
I had to go diary free for a few months when I was nursing my son so I know how that feels! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Alfredo and that it let you eat what you were craving! 🙂
OH MY GOD!!!
I have just made this recipe after finding it on the internet and IT IS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!
I only used fresh flat leaf parsley and dried oregano instead of all the other green herbs (because I didn’t have them in) and the result is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!
Thankyou so much fur sharing this recipe, I wil definitely be making it again.
Awesome!! I’m so glad to hear you liked it!! Thank you for the kind words 🙂