Creamy, delicious, and packed with flavor, this delicious zucchini cashew alfredo pasta is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Whether you follow a dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegetarian diet, this recipe can easily be customized to suit your needs. Using simple ingredients and a quick soaking method for the cashews, you’ll have a satisfying and wholesome meal in no time.
Delicious Zucchini Cashew Alfredo Pasta
Deliciously Creamy Zucchini Cashew Alfredo Pasta: A Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Large zucchini
- 1 Small onion
- 3 Cloves garlic
- 1 Cup cashews, soaked
- 1 Cup vegetable stock or bone broth
- 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 Pack of Pasta of your Choice
- Reserved pasta water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To soak the cashews:
1. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup cashews and 1 cup water.
2. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit for 20 minutes.
3. Drain and rinse the cashews.
4. Place the soaked cashews into a blender and set aside.
Preparing the vegetables:
1. Chop the onion and zucchini into large pieces.
2. Peel the garlic cloves and leave them whole.
3. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet.
4. Add the zucchini, onion, and garlic to the skillet and cook until caramelized and golden brown.
Cooking the pasta:
1. While the vegetables are cooking and the cashews are soaking, boil your pasta noodles according to the package instructions.
2. I recommend using organic spaghetti noodles, but feel free to use your favorite type of pasta.
Creating the sauce:
1. Once the vegetables are browned, transfer them to the blender with the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and vegetable stock.
2. Blend until smooth, creating a creamy sauce.
Bringing it all together:
1. Take the cooked noodles and transfer them directly from the pot to the cast iron skillet.
2. Pour the creamy sauce from the blender over the noodles and stir to coat.
3. Add lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. To achieve your desired consistency, gradually add reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.
5. The sauce will thicken a bit more once it’s stirred into the noodles.
