As I sit here writing this, it’s 55 degrees and sunny out. I am itching to get outside but have too much to do inside. Don’t you hate that?
We have the perfect little library in our neighborhood. It’s small, cozy, clean and the kids beg to go there every week. Since it’s so close we can go and be back in 30 minutes and they happily read their books for the rest of the afternoon. As they pick out their books, I peruse the cookbooks. I am always so inspired when I leave there and get tons of ideas for recipes.
This creamy vegan tomato sauce was one I had to jot down and play around with. I had high hopes it would be a great one and…you guys, it is. It’s SO SO good. It’s crazy rich and creamy and tastes just like your typical tomato-cream sauce, except there is NO cream in it. In fact there is no dairy at all. There is not even “non-dairy” milk in it!
It is insanely good and good for you! That’s right- all healthy ingredients right here and I would not lie to you and tell you to make it if I didn’t feel like every single one of you should, even if you aren’t on a vegan diet. No one, and I actually bet you on this, no one will know that it’s not made with cream.
Go ahead, try it!
Cashews my friends, are a vegan’s best friend. They are super super versatile and are often used in cream sauces. Which is amazing because they are healthy and provide good quality nutrition like protein, fiber and healthy fats. And the cashew flavor is almost non-existent which is cool, not because I don’t love cashews, I do..but it’s just that it tastes like there is cream in there instead of nuts. I think I already said that though.
Then you’ve got your fresh tomatoes, which are full of lycopene and Vitamins A and C. Then you enhance the flavor with tomato paste, tomato sauce and some veg broth.
I used the smaller jar of my Blendec to blend up those cashews and tomatoes. Then it simmers on the stove top with the garlic and oil for just 5 minutes or so and it’s ready to devour!
You can use this sauce as you would a tomato cream sauce, in a casserole, spooned over a protein of your choice. I just wanted it slathered over pasta and then basically spoon-fed myself the rest. Then the next day, I heated up the leftover sauce and spooned it over an over-easy egg for breakfast. So yummy.
Because it’s made with cashews it’s still going to bring some calories to the table, but the rest of the sauce is light (tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, etc).
Go make it and report back. XO
[Tweet “Delicious Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce #Vegan and #GlutenFree via @nutritiouseats So good! “]
- ½ cup cashews, unsalted
- 2 large tomatoes, core removed and cut into large pieces (~ 1¼ cup chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce, such as Pomi
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- fresh basil, rolled and cut into long thin stripes (optional)
- Pasta of choice (I love quinoa/corn flour blend gluten free spaghetti)
- Boil your pasta according to package directions.
- Place cashews, cut tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water in a blender and puree until very smooth. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add minced garlic and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, making sure it doesn't burn. Stir in cashew/tomato puree, salt and vegetable broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning- more salt or broth if needed. Enjoy over pasta and top with fresh basil or any other way you enjoy creamy tomato sauce!
- This will be enough sauce for 2 large portions of pasta or 4 small.
You can either add the cooked pasta to the sauce pan and let it coat the noodles or you can spoon the sauce over the pasta, which I prefer. I like to make sure I have enough sauce.
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Easy Vegetable Soup
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Baked Chicken Tacos
(((runs to get out her vitamix)))
carla recently posted..What would Tami Taylor do?
Let me know! 😉
A few years ago, I dabbled in becoming a vegan. Who knew cashews could do so much! I still use them quite often in everything from baking to cooking. They are the perfect vegan way to make a recipe creamy.
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..How to Run 10 Miles (or more) Before Work
seriously, they are amazing!
yum!! i do wish cashews weren’t so expensive!
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted..Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food
Yeah, we spend a good amount on nuts because we go through them so fast!
Ohhhhh, this really looks good. Really good!
Jennifer F recently posted..Run, Workout and Yoga with Happy Legs | Compression Sock #Giveaway
Thanks Jennifer! It is!
Yummy! Cashews are definitely something I don’t leave the store without! I make a similar sauce using canned tomatoes…so I’m looking forward this to this one with fresh! Thank you for a recipe that will likely be a staple!
Any time. Let me know if you try it!
Aren’t cashews awesome? I haven’t made a cashew cream sauce in ages. This looks fantastic. I have done something sort of similar using silken tofu as the “cream.” It works well for creamy soups too.
Yes, silken tofu also does wonders for creamy things!
I have only dabbled in cashew cream a couple of times- but there are so many great recipes (including this one) that I need to try out!!
Dietitian Jess recently posted..WIAW in Miami (and trip recap!)
Thanks Jess! Let me know if you try it!
Would never ever think to put cashews in a pasta sauce to get it so creamy but now I’m totally intrigued!
You’ve got to try it Deanna; plus it’s ready in less than 10 minutes! 🙂
That is such a glorious sauce! I love cashews so much! They can make anything amazing!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted..Peanut Butter Puff Granola
Thanks Rebecca, it really is so good!
CASHEWS and I …. We used to be married about 10 to 12 years ago……… Man, we had some good times together!
GiGi Eats recently posted..You Deserve Applause!
Ha, well hopefully you didn’t get divorced!
Ever since I got my Blendtec I’ve been saying I’m going to make some kind of sauce with cashews. I think this will be the one!
You’ll love it Debbie. I used the smaller container it it worked perfect.
Mel- I finally got a chance to make this recipe this week. Delicious!! Everyone in our house gobbled up dinner. Katherine (4yrs) helped me make the sauce, and we discovered she loves cashews. She’s my fussy eater, so it’s great to find new foods she’ll actually try and eat.
I slathered the leftover sauce on a toasted baguette with my lunch today. So yummy!
Yay! I’m so glad you liked and and thanks for stopping by to comment 🙂 made my day! Hope you all are well
This was absolutely delicious! We’re doing some post-holiday calorie reduction so, though I tripled the rest of the recipe, I stuck with the 1/2 cup cashews: still creamy and yummy. I only have a 30 year old food processor so I did soak the cashews in hot water just enough to cover a few hours to soften them, then used that water for the amount called for in the recipe. Everything else I did exactly per the recipe. Everybody loved this. Thank you.
Great, glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the message. 🙂
I made this tonight for my wife and I and we both agreed it was amazing. I had to stop myself spooning amounts into my mouth while I was waiting for the pasta to cook! Delicious.
Awesome. Glad you enjoyed it!