I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cashews are the most magical things ever!Ā You can use them to make savory salad dressings, sweet desserts and amazingly creamy alfredo sauce.Ā 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.Ā 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.Ā 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.Ā Although, I have never been known to say no to creamy pasta š
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.Ā The real hero flavors in this cashew alfredo are the basil and the Herbs De Provence.Ā Herbs De Provence is a mixture of dried thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage, and lavender.Ā 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
This sounds like the absolute perfect dish for me! Beautiful and so extremely creamy, I love it a lot!!!
They are magical! I hope you enjoy it š
Oh my, this recipe looks delicious! I’m huge a cashew fan. Pinning now & will be making it soon! š
Thank you Nicole! I’m in love with cashews too! I hope you enjoy it š
This looks so comforting and delicious, Izzy! I would have never guessed it was made from cashews. They really are an amazing ingredient! And I love that you used herbs de Provence. I have an enormous container of it from when we went to France last fall so this pretty much HAS to happen in my kitchen. š
Thank you, Sarah!! They are so awesome and make everything taste better! I really think you will love this!! I just started using herbs de provence and I’m obsessed! I love adding them to french fries š I hope your weekend is going well!
I really need to try this. I grew up eating cashews (my mom put it in stir-frys) and I love them so much but have never used them in any way like this. It looks amazing and the flavor has to be incredible. Their butteriness is so good for this kind of use.
Ohh, cashews in stir frys is such a good idea! Their butteriness makes them go so well in so many different dishes, both sweet and savory! I think you will love this pasta š
This looks wonderful! I would have never guests there were cashews in this! What an awesome idea!
Thanks Kelley! It is so good!!
Loooove this, Izzy! Cashews are amazing and soooo versatile. I continue to be impressed and inspired by them… like this recipe! They’re right up there with chickpeas, if you ask me! This creamy alfredo pasta is quite impressive… love the broccoli you’ve tossed in. Oh yeah, I know Annie’s… good stuff. Thank you for this, Izzy!! Yum!
Thank you, Traci!! Me too! There really isn’t anything you can’t do with them! I make sure to always have a big bag on hand š
I really need to get on board with cashews and creamy sauces like this one! This looks so incredible and I love cashews, I’d bet I’d love this too š
You so do, Danielle!! Even if you eat regular alfredo this really is so good!
Ok, this is 100% on my list to make. I’m an absolute alfredo lush, but don’t let myself have it very often for obvious reasons. If I can have it without the guilt, I’m SO on board.
We used to eat so much alfredo and I never though about how it might not be so great for you, lol! But at least the cashew fat is good fat! I hope you love this, Nicole š
This pasta looks AMAZINGGG! And my husband is the biggest broccoli lover so I know he will love this too!
Pinning!
Thank you, Mariah!! My husband loves broccoli too, thank goodness haha š
I always find these vegan sauces so friggin’ unique!! And this one is certainly included in that!
And so delicious!! Thank you, GiGi!
YUM!!!! I am loving this recipe Izzy, all of the flavours sound so delicious! I love making creamy sauces from cashews, they’re the best! All of the herbs and spices you used sound amazing, and I love the photographs – they’re making me so hungry! Thank you for sharing š
They really are the best! I just made a salad dressing last week and I’m obsessed with! Thank you so much, Harriet š
This looks so delicious and intriguing–though I’m curious, what is nutritional yeast and how crucial is it to the alfredo? Can you substitute other types of yeast in its place? Thanks!
Thanks Franchesca! Nutritional yeast is actually much different than baking yeast, so it wouldn’t work to substitute other types of yeast for nutritional yeast. It is yellow and flaky and has a nice cheesy flavor that is perfect for a vegan alfredo sauce! You should be able to find it at any health food store š
Cashews truly are an amazing and versatile ingredient! I never thought to make alfredo sauce using cashews – this is absolutely brilliant! I just saw a creme brulee recipe on The Frosted Vegan using cashews, so now I’m thinking I need to make a whole spread of cashew recipes #cashewsdordayz š Love this creamy dreamy healthy pasta!
Thank you, Julia!! OMG, creme brulee with cashews?! I need to check that out asap! We totally need to make an entire spread of food made with cashews, amazing!
This looks delicious Izzy! Your pictures are looking so great! I’ve never tried a cashew-based sauce, but they always look so creamy and appealing, so I may have to give this a go!
Thank you so much Lauren! I really think you would love them! I hope you are enjoying your new little bundle š
Love that this cashew alfredo is vegan! I’m a huge fan of both cauli and cashew-based vegan sauces, and this looks delicious paired with the broccoli. Pinning!
Thanks Medha! I’ve been meaning to try a cauliflower one but haven’t gotten around to it yet!
I’ve never been a cashew fan, but I think I need to try this — I’m so intrigued about making a creamy sauce with them! I don’t normally go for super heavy cream-based sauces, so this sounds perfect!
You can still taste a little cashew flavor, but it really is so good! This sauce might just change your mind about cashews š
I’m loving everything about this dish, Izzy! Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous! And I agree that cashews are a magical ingredient. I’ve never tried a cashew sauce before, but I definitely need to after seeing this recipe. Delish!
Thank you so much, Gayle!! Cashew sauces are so good even if you do eat regular dairy sauces! And they are kinda fun to make and see it all come together š
Ahhh love this Izzy!! I’ve been reducing my dairy intake so of course I’ve had major cravings for creamy dishes like pasta. Using cashews in the sauce is genius! Wish I could just dive into that bowl! š
Thank you, Alyssa! You should totally make this then!! I still eat some dairy but I usually don’t feel very well afterward so sauces like this always hit the spot š