30-Minute Cashew Alfredo

Ingredients

ALFREDO

• 1 ¼ cups raw cashews (soaked)
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch (optional)*
• 3-4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2-3 cloves garlic* (crushed)
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1-2 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
• 1-2 cups unsweetened plain almond or rice milk (plus more as needed)

*can substitute with tapioca starch

FOR SERVING optional

• 10 ounces (280g) pasta (GF or regular – I like Trader Joe’s GF fusilli)
• Vegan Parmesan Cheese
• Roasted Tomatoes

Instructions

• Soak cashews in very hot water for 20 minutes. Then drain and add to a high-speed blender.
• To blender, also add arrowroot starch (for thickening), nutritional yeast, garlic, sea salt, vegan parmesan cheese, and lesser amount of  unsweetened dairy-free milk (1 cup (240ml) as original recipe is written).
• Blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for kick/zing, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese for cheesy flavor, salt for saltiness, or dairy-free milk if too thick.
• Transfer to a rimmed skillet and cook over medium-low to medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking frequently. The sauce should thicken and bubble. Add more dairy-free milk as needed to thin (I typically add up to ½ – 1 cup (120-240ml) more // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Then it’s ready to serve!
• Enjoy with zucchini noodles or your favorite pasta. It could even be enjoyed layered in lasagna! Top with additional Vegan Parmesan Cheese and Roasted Tomatoes for more flavor.