CREAMY CASHEW PASTA

I love a simple one-pot dinner and this recipe is one of my favorites! Extra creamy and full of flavor, this pasta will have everyone in your family asking for more. TIP- soak your cashews in water overnight IF you can. I rarely think that far in advance so instead of overnight, I soak mine for an hour or 2 (minimum) in HOT water. The longer you can soak them, the creamier your sauce will be! Also you need either a high powered blender or a good food processor to get the cashew cream REALLY smooth.

For the sauce-

3/4 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup veggie broth
3 tbsp tomato paste

For the pasta-

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion or 2 shallots, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3-4cups veggie broth
1 lb penne pasta
1 10-12oz jar roasted red peppers drained and thinly sliced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 large handfuls of baby spinach
fresh basil chopped for garnishing

Prepare the cashew sauce first. In a high speed blender or food processor, add ingredients for the sauce and blend until smooth. Scraping the sides as necessary. You can add up to 1 tbsp additional veggie broth if you need a little more liquid. You wanna be able to pour it out like a cream but not too runny.

In a big pot on medium heat add your onion and garlic, sauté 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add 3 cups veggie broth (you can add up to 5 cups veggie broth max), penne pasta, roasted red peppers, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, & nutritional yeast. Mix well and cover with a lid and bring to a strong simmer. Stir occasionally and mix the pasta so it all cooks even and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. About 15-20min. When pasta is almost to your liking for texture, add the cashew sauce and spinach and cook with the lid on until pasta is soft and spinach is wilted. Serve topped with fresh basil. + I like eating this dinner with a side of steamed broccoli 🥦