Creamy Vegan Mushroom and Spinach Pasta

Credit @veganrecipesideas Follow for more Vegan Recipes 🫑🫒

Ingredients:

Pasta: 250g rigatoni or any short pasta

Olive oil: 2 tablespoons

Garlic: 3 cloves, minced

Mushrooms: 250g, sliced (button or cremini)

Fresh spinach: 2 cups (about 60g)

Pomegranate seeds: 2 tablespoons (optional for topping)

Fresh parsley: 2 tablespoons, chopped

For the creamy sauce:

Raw cashews: 1 cup (soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes)

Vegetable broth: 1 cup

Nutritional yeast: 2 tablespoons

Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon

Dijon mustard: 1 teaspoon

Smoked paprika: 1 teaspoon

Salt: 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)

Black pepper: ½ teaspoon

Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon

Instructions:

Cook the pasta:

Boil a large pot of salted water.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Make the creamy sauce:

Drain the soaked cashews.

In a blender, add the cashews, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.

Blend until completely smooth and creamy.

Prepare the veggies:

In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 5–7 minutes until they release their juices and start browning.

Combine everything:

Lower the heat and add the spinach to the mushrooms. Stir until wilted (1–2 minutes).

Pour the creamy sauce into the pan and stir well.

Add the cooked pasta and toss everything together until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce.

Simmer for a few minutes to thicken if needed.

Finish and serve:

Stir in chopped parsley.

Serve hot topped with fresh pomegranate seeds for a burst of freshness and color.

Notes:

You can substitute pomegranate seeds with toasted pine nuts if preferred.

For extra flavor, add a pinch of chili flakes when sautéing the garlic.

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