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Pasta with asparagus in cashew and mushroom sauce

You can make vegan, creamy sauces and salad dressings from cashew nuts. It’s really delicious and very filling. This pasta with asparagus in cashew and mushroom sauce is a great example. I used gluten-free, brown rice pasta, but any kind of pasta would be OK. Serve it with a crispy salad.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 150 g of unsalted cashew nuts
  • 400 g pasta of your choice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small leeks chopped
  • 2 shallots chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • 250 g mixed wild mushrooms sliced
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • 150 ml white wine
  • 150 vegetable stock
  • 100 g grated vegan cheese
  • 200 g asparagus
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts lightly toasted
  • 1 handful of parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Pre-soak the cashew nuts in water overnight. The next day drain the cashew nuts and blend in a food processor with about 300ml water until you get a thick, smooth sauce, resembling single cream.
  2. Finely chop the shallots & leeks, then slice the mushrooms & asparagus.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and keep it warm under a lid.
  4. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, steam the asparagus pieces for 3 minutes, then put them in cold (preferably icy) water.
  5. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and gently sauté the leek, garlic, mushroom and thyme for about 5 minutes, until tender. Pour the wine over them, let it bubble until it evaporates, then add the vegetable stock, cashew cream and grated cheese. Reduce it to a thick, silky sauce.
  6. Tip the drained pasta into a large serving bowl, add the asparagus, pine nuts, parsley and toss carefully until well combined.
  7. Serve with plenty of freshly ground pepper and extra grated "cheese", if liked.