This vegan mushroom pasta with spinach in a creamy cashew alfredo sauce is a comforting, easy family meal! It’s satisfying comfort food at its best.
This post was updated on January 22, 2024, to add new photographs, more recipe tips, and FAQS. It was originally published on March 31, 2020.
Jump to:
This vegan mushroom pasta recipe requires a few steps. You’ll need to prepare the sauce, pasta, mushrooms, and spinach separately and then put it all together. But in total, it takes about 30 minutes or less, so it’s a quick and easy meal.
With lentil pasta for protein, nutrient-dense veggies such as spinach and mushrooms, and a creamy cashew sauce that adds healthy fats, this pasta dish is delicious and comforting!
💗 Why You’ll Love Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Smooth and creamy sauce
- Protein-rich pasta
- A healthy serving of veggies
- Comforting family recipe
- 30-minute meal
- Vegan and Dairy-Free
- Gluten-Free (when you use lentil or chickpea pasta)
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Cashew Cream Sauce: This is an excellent recipe to meal prep at the start of the week so that it’s ready to create a simple pasta dish. You’ll need cashews, almond milk, vegetable stock, onion, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
Pasta: I used a spinach linguine, but you can use any pasta you like best. I suggest using a gluten-free pasta such as lentil or chickpea for added protein or a whole wheat spaghetti for added fiber. Cook the pasta al dente as it will be warmed more when the sauce and vegetables are added.
Diced Onion and Garlic: These aromatics provide a rich flavor. They can be sauteed in olive oil or vegetable stock if you want an oil-free version.
Fresh Leaf Spinach: I buy the 5 oz package of organic spinach and use the whole bag. It will look like a lot of spinach when you add it to the pan, but spinach wilts. Once it’s wilted, it’s the perfect amount.
Mini Bella Mushrooms: They have a great meaty texture. I use one 8 oz package of organic sliced mini bella mushrooms—shiitake, oyster mushrooms, or a mushroom medley taste great in this recipe.
🔪 Tools and Equipment
High-Speed Blender: I use my Vitamix to make the cream sauce. I’ve used both a high-speed blender and a standard blender to make this sauce, and I have to say it turns out much creamier with the high-speed blender.
Large Sauté Pan: Used to sauté the onions and combine all of the ingredients.
Pasta Pot: For cooking the pasta.
Colander: For draining the pasta.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- Soak raw cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- While the pasta water comes to a boil and the cashews are soaking, sauté the onions in a ¼ cup of vegetable stock on medium heat for about 3 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the cooked onions and garlic to a blender for the sauce.
- Add the mushrooms to the same pan. Sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach. Cover the pan with a lid. Steam the spinach until it wilts.
- Add the drained cashews to the blender with the onions and garlic. Add the almond milk, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a small pot. Heat on medium until the sauce is warm and thickens. Set aside.
- Assemble the pasta. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with mushrooms and spinach. Pour cashew cream sauce over top, and stir until sauce is well combined. Serve with a wedge of lemon or a sprinkle of vegan parmesan.
📝 Expert Tips
- To save time, boil the pasta’s water and soak the cashews. Bringing the water to a boil and soaking the cashews will take time. You must soak the cashews for 10 minutes to plump and soften them for the sauce.
- Use a high-speed blender for the sauce to achieve the smoothest texture. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, grind the cashews in a coffee grinder. If you use this method, do not soak them in water.
- Add the spinach to the mushrooms and onions just before you assemble the pasta.
- Use the pasta of your choice. I prefer lentil or chickpea pasta for added nutrition or whole wheat pasta for added fiber.
❓ FAQS
This creamy mushroom sauce is made from cashews and soy milk with nutritional yeast to create an umami flavor. The mushrooms give the sauce a meaty texture.
Most dry pasta is vegan by default. Some pasta is made with egg. Always check the ingredient label to be sure the pasta you choose off the shelf is made with vegan-friendly ingredients.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Serve this pasta with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese with a garnish of fresh herbs or pine nuts for crunch and richness.
Pair with a fresh green salad or roasted vegetables.
🫙 Storage
Fridge: Allow the pasta to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm in the microwave until heated through.
😋 More Vegan Pasta Recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
Vegan Cream Sauce
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or dairy free milk of choice
- ½ cup low sodium vegetable stock
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
Pasta
- 10 oz pasta
- 1 small onion
- 8 oz mini bella mushrooms
- 5 oz fresh leaf spinach
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
- Bring a small saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add the cashews and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the pasta water is coming to a boil and the cashews are simmering, add the diced onion and minced garlic to a large saute pan in a ¼ cup of vegetable stock or 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the onions and garlic to the blender for the sauce.
- Dice mushrooms, and add to the pan with the onions. Sauté until browned about 5 minutes. Add the spinach. Cover with a lid, to steam the spinach.
- Drain the soaked cashews. Add them to the blender with the onions and garlic. Add the almond milk, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a small pot. Heat on medium until the sauce is warm and thickens. Set aside.
- Assemble the pasta: Add the drained pasta to the pan with the mushrooms and spinach. Pour the cashew cream sauce on top, and fold it all together until everything is well combined.
- Serve topped with fresh parsley and a lemon wedge.
Notes
- To save time, start boiling the pasta’s water and soak the cashews. Bringing the water to a boil and soaking the cashews will take time. You must soak the cashews for 10 minutes to plump and soften them for the sauce.
- Use a high-speed blender for the sauce to achieve the smoothest texture. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, grind the cashews in a coffee grinder. If you use this method, do not soak them in water.
- Add the spinach to the mushrooms at the end. Adding the spinach too soon can turn a dark green rather than a bright and vibrant green.
- Use the pasta of your choice.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Brandi
This recipe was quick, and amazing. For such simple ingredients I did not expect the level of flavor that was achieved. It was absolutely delicious, and I will definitely be adding this recipe into our rotation.
Alison Corey
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! This is one of my family’s favorites!
Greg Nunlee
Made this last night, added peas and more spinach. Delicious!
Thank you
Alison Corey
Glad to hear it turned out well! You can never have too much spinach! Yum!
Jeanne
Made this tonight and enjoyed it. Used regular rigatoni but otherwise followed the recipe. The fresh lemon juice is important, cuts the richness, and provides more depth to the sauce. Please do use it if you make it…thank you for the recipe!
Alison Corey
Hi Jeanne! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe! I agree, the lemon really does help reduce the richness of the sauce! I hope you make it again!
JJ
Thank you for the recipe. my daughter and I enjoyed it very much. I added cherry tomatoes I had bought from the farmers market. Delicious!
Anita
The sauce is indeed creamy and delicious, and seriously, no one will be able to tell it’s vegan. 🙂
Jeannette
All of these comfort food recipes are coming up and I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing a vegan version, especially when the supermarket shelves are empty! I’m sure to find everything I’ll be needing to make this delicious meal.
Sisley White
I’m so happy to find a creamy vegan pasta. Absolutely delicious.
Carrie Robinson
This looks like the perfect comfort food to me! 🙂
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
I have a lot of spinach that I need using up. This looks like the perfect solution! Thanks for the recipe 🙂