Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta (Printable Version)
A luscious blend of mushrooms, vibrant spinach, and vegan cheese melded with perfectly cooked pasta.
# Ingredients Required:
→ Dried Mushrooms and Herbs
01 -
14 g dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms
02 -
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
→ Liquids
03 -
710 ml water, divided
04 -
2 tablespoons vegan butter
05 -
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
06 -
1 tablespoon olive oil (for baked version)
→ Fresh Vegetables
07 -
170 g cremini and/or white button mushrooms, sliced
08 -
6 cloves garlic, minced
09 -
170 g raw baby spinach
→ Nuts and Seeds
10 -
110 g raw cashews (soak if not using high-speed blender)
→ Vegan Dairy Alternatives
11 -
200 g mild vegan cheese, cubed (e.g., Violife, Chao, or Follow Your Heart)
12 -
200 g shredded vegan cheese (optional for baked version)
→ Fermented and Starch Components
13 -
2 tablespoons chickpea or white miso
14 -
2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
15 -
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
→ Pasta and Toppings
16 -
450 g pasta of choice (regular, whole wheat, or gluten-free)
17 -
¾ cup coarse breadcrumbs or panko (optional for baked version)
→ Seasonings
18 -
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
19 -
¾ teaspoon onion powder
20 -
Dash of freshly grated nutmeg
21 -
Black pepper, to taste
22 -
½ teaspoon fine sea salt (for baked version)
# Guide to Cooking:
01 -
Bring 240 ml water to a boil. Combine dried mushrooms and rosemary in a small bowl, add boiling water, and steep for 20 minutes.
02 -
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add vegan butter and minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium, add sliced mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in tamari and cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat and reserve 120 ml mushroom mixture.
03 -
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
04 -
In a high-speed blender, combine the steeped mushroom-rosemary mixture with reserved mushroom mixture, soaked cashews, cubed vegan cheese, miso, tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, sea salt, onion powder, and nutmeg. Blend until completely smooth.
05 -
Pour blended sauce into the sauté pan with mushrooms or a large pot if pan is too small. Simmer gently and add cooked pasta, stirring to coat evenly.
06 -
Add baby spinach to the pasta mixture and cook for a few minutes until spinach wilts and darkens. Adjust seasoning with black pepper and additional salt as desired. For stovetop serving, let rest for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken before plating.
07 -
Preheat oven to 190°C. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Fold half the shredded vegan cheese into the pasta. Transfer to a baking dish if necessary, sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, then scatter breadcrumb mixture evenly.
08 -
Bake for 15 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden and crisp. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes if additional browning is desired. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
For a nut-free variation, substitute cashews with sunflower seeds or use a high-speed blender to avoid soaking cashews.