This vegan chickpea pasta with garlic cashew Alfredo sauce happened by accident last week, when I was trying to compete in a giveaway by one of my favorite pasta companies, http://www.eatbanza.com. The entry challenged the competitors to create a completely plant based pasta dish. I was, as you can imagine, ALL over this. Plant based is practically my middle name.
If you haven’t already tried making cashew cream sauce, know this: it is so easy and super tasty. For this vegan chickpea pasta with garlic cashew Alfredo sauce, I also added in sautéed zucchini, and topped it with tomato basil bruschetta. Whenever I make pasta, I always throw in some frozen sweet peas to the pasta water to cook along with the noodles for one more veggie.
Possibly the best part about this vegan chickpea pasta with garlic cashew Alfredo sauce, is that it is ready in just thirty minutes! Actually, the best part is the flavor, but I will never complain about getting a veggie-filled, nutritious dinner on the table in under an hour. This dish is completely vegan, but as always, use what you have. Regular pasta is totally fine, and I’m always a fan of a dollop of grass-fed butter and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
Vegan Chickpea Pasta with Garlic Cashew Alfredo Sauce
3-4 Servings
1 8 oz. box of Banza Pasta – or noodles of your choice
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
1/2 t. salt
2 zucchini
2 T. Olive oil
Garlic Cashew Alfredo Sauce
1 cup raw cashews
2 cups boiling water
1 cup coconut milk- no sugar added- or milk of your choice
2 cloves garlic- minced
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
Tomato Basil Bruschetta
2 cups cherry tomatoes – halved
2 cloves garlic- minced
1 T. fresh basil- minced
2 T. olive oil
1 T. Balsamic vinegar
1 t. rice wine vinegar
1. Begin by pouring the boiling water over the raw cashews. Let sit about 20 minutes.
2. Bring a sauce pan of water to boil. While that heats, add all the ingredients for the bruschetta in a medium bowl and stir. Let sit to marinate.
3. Once the pasta water boils, add in the salt, peas, and pasta.
4. Thinly slice the zucchini and sauté in olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Season with salt, pepper, and more garlic powder, about 1/2 teaspoon.
5. Drain the pasta and peas, then add to the pan with the zucchini, removing from the heat. Drizzle a little more olive oil if needed to keep the pasta from sticking.
6. Drain the cashews, then pulse in a food processor, adding coconut milk until it forms a thick, smooth sauce. In a small sauce pan, heat the sauce, adding in the garlic, and seasonings. It will thicken, just add more milk as needed.
7. Serve the pasta in individual bowls, then top with the Alfredo sauce and tomato basil bruschetta. Store any leftovers separately. The sauce will thicken in the fridge, just reheat over low heat with a splash of milk. Sauce will be good in the fridge for up to one week.
