It’s asparagus season. Right before we all were self-isolated, I got a lovely bunch of fresh asparagus in my Hungry Harvest. I sauteed them up, along with some cremini mushrooms and made this delicious and creamy sauce with roasted red peppers, garlic and cashews. It was so good that the entire dish was devoured in seconds!
I had a few extra red peppers at home, so I roasted them up. I included a few in my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and some in this delicious cashew cream sauce. The sauce is so rich, with the creamy cashews and is completely vegan!
If Roasting Your Own Red Peppers
If you are planning to roast your own red peppers for this recipe, roasting red peppers is supers simple. It softens the peppers, brings out some delicious natural sugars and adds a lovely smokiness when mixed in to any dish.
- Cut the peppers in half and remove seeds and stems.
- Lay them face-down on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
- Set oven to broil setting or 450° F
- Broil until the skins blacken and blister, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and carefully place in a bowl. Cover with a plate and allow the peppers to steam for 10 minutes.
- Once the peppers cool, remove the skins and store or use in any recipe.
I used Barilla Protein Plus Penne for this recipe, but feel free to choose your favorite type of pasta. You may also mix in whichever veggies you have on hand, or enjoy the sauce plain with pasta. It comes together quickly and is a delicious and flavorful meal!
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms (Vegan)
Ingredients
Creamy Red Pepper Cashew Sauce
- 1½ – 2 roasted red pepper
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2-3 shallots
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried rosemary Or Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Pasta
- 2-3 cups pasta I used Barilla Protein Plus Penne
- 1 bunch asparagus cut into 2 inch pieces.
- 1 box cremini mushrooms (approx 8 ozz) cleaned and sliced
Instructions
- If Roasting your Own Red Pepper
- Preheat oven to broil setting or 450° Cut the peppers in half and remove seeds and stems.
- Lay peppers face-down on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Broil until the skins blacken and blister, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and carefully place in a bowl. Cover with a plate and allow the peppers to steam for 10 minutes. Once the peppers cool, remove the skins and chop roughly. Reserve some red pepper for garnish optionally.
Prepare the Pasta
- In a blender or blender cup add 1 cup cashews and ½ cup water. You may allow this to soak for up to an hour, but it will still be creamy if not soaked.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the pasta. Boil for 6-8 minutes until al-dente. Reserve some pasta water to add to the sauce.
- In a pan, add a few tbsps of extra virgin olive oil and saute shallots and garlic until softened. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary or Italian seasoning.
- Add shallots and garlic to the blender cup, along with roasted red pepper, chopped.
- Blend until smooth. Add starchy pasta water as necessary. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.
- In the same pan you cooked the onions and garlic, add a few more tbsps of olive oil and saute the mushrooms until browned and all the water is released. Set aside and saute the asparagus until crisp and tender, for 3-4 minutes.
- Combine the sauce with the pasta, adding more pasta water as necessary to thin out the sauce. Top with veggies and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
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