How Cashews Help To Make The Perfect Vegan Pasta Sauce

Pasta and a creamy sauce just seem to go together, like macaroni and cheese, fettuccine alfredo, or pasta alla vodka. Unfortunately, the thing that gives these sauces their creamy consistency that pairs well when poured over pasta is the very thing that many vegans don't consume, and that's heavy cream. If you're watching your waistline, have a dairy allergy, or are vegan, you may be missing some of these popular dishes. However, there's a dairy-free alternative for making many of those creamy pasta sauces.

That alternative can be found in making a creamy sauce from cashews. This nut has a high-fat content, as reported by Medical News Today. The high-fat content lends itself to a creamy mouthfeel when pureed into a sauce, like a vegan cheese sauce, suitable for macaroni and cheese. According to Love and Lemons, using raw rather than roasted cashews will result in a neutral, creamy taste, whereas using roasted cashews will give the cream sauce a nuttier flavor.

Making this sauce takes a little bit of planning since you'll need to soak the cashews before you turn them into a sauce. Although it's definite that you'll need to soak the cashews, the amount of soaking time can vary, based on the capability of your blender or food processor, since a high-powered device can process them with less soaking time. As Bon Appetit recommends, pouring boiling water over the cashews and letting them soak for 30 minutes, then using a high-powered blender will create a smooth, creamy sauce.

According to Walder Wellness, it's important to soak the cashews in room temperature water for at least four hours, or overnight. Once you've soaked the cashews for the desired time, blend until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. The next time you're craving a cream-based sauce, grab your blender or a food processor and transform cashews into a creamy, delicious pasta sauce.