Vegan Alfredo Sauce

I invited some friends over for dinner last Sunday and was having such a hard time deciding what to make. It’s so frustrating when that happens! After brainstorming for a day or two I decided on a creamy pasta dish with vegetables. I wanted it to be delicious and comforting but also vegan. After scouring Google for recipes, I decided to try my hands at a vegan alfredo sauce with pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, and basil. I found a phenomenal recipe for the sauce on the blog Oh She Glows (it was adapted from the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook). I made a few tweaks of my own (including pumping up the garlic flavor), doubled the recipe, and added toasted pine nuts and crushed red pepper to make it special. The result? My dinner guests LOVED the sauce and actually said I should bottle and sell it. It’s a good thing I made extra sauce because we were practically drinking it! Check out the recipe below. I made it again and brought it to a potluck this week. This one is absolutely a crowd-pleaser for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Chiocciole Alfredo with Broccoli & Tomatoes

(vegan, makes about 6 servings)

(sauce recipe adapted from Oh She Glows and Vegan Yum Yum)

1 lb. chiocciole pasta

1 large head of broccoli

1 tin of cherry or grape tomatoes

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (for garnish)

Red pepper flakes (for garnish)

Alfredo Sauce:

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2/3 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 tbsp. tamari soy sauce

4 tbsp. non-dairy butter (such as Earth Balance)

3 tbsp. tahini paste

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

2 tbsp. non-dairy mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise)

1 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

4 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Soak the cashews in water for 30 minutes or more to soften them. Rinse the cashews then place them in a food processor or blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Process on high until completely smooth (takes about 2-3 minutes). Pour sauce in a bowl and set aside. Cook your pasta until it’s al dente and drain in a colander. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli, tomatoes, and basil into small pieces. Leave the tomatoes and basil raw, but cook the broccoli for a minute or two in rapidly boiling water. Drain the broccoli and put in a big serving bowl with the tomatoes and basil. Add in the pasta and enough sauce to cover everything generously. Serve in bowls with toasted pine nuts and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes on top. Serve extra sauce on the side or reserve it for leftovers.

Tip 1: I used organic chiocciole pasta (they look like little snails) but you can use any small pasta you like. Brown rice pasta is a healthy choice and is also gluten free. Tip 2: Use organic ingredients whenever possible. Tip 3: I used Earth Balance coconut spread for my non-dairy butter. Any of the Earth Balance spreads will work fine.