This Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Garlic is the perfect weeknight dinner. Creamy cashews form a base for this sauce that includes sauteed shallots, aromatics, and earthy mushrooms to make it delicious!
This vegan pasta is the perfect comfort food for date night, entertaining at home, or just because! It is sure to be a hit with everyone.
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This decadently delicious pasta dish has all the creaminess without any dairy, with a vegan cashew cream, and is full of flavor!
The combination of mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and sage with the cashew cream is amazing - no one would ever guess that this meal was also totally vegan! Whether you're looking to impress a special someone or treat yourself and your loved ones after a long day, this luscious pasta is guaranteed to please!
My Asparagus Mushroom Pasta inspired this creamy mushroom pasta. If you love creamy pasta, check out this Creamy Vegan Pasta with Peas and Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta.
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this vegan creamy pasta recipe:
- Mushrooms - I used baby Bellas for their earthy flavor. White button mushrooms will also work; to clean these mushrooms, remove the stem and wipe the mushroom with a damp towel to remove the dirt.
- Dried pasta - use your favorite type of short pasta in this recipe - I love the shape, taste, and quality of this Italian organic gigli toscani pasta.
- Shallots - freshly chopped.
- Garlic - freshly chopped.
- Fresh sage - fresh sage is preferred over dried sage in this recipe.
- Kale - use whichever kale you like.
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese - optional - I like using Violife Just Like Parmesan.
- Truffle Carpaccio - this is the one we have and enjoy! A few tiny slices per serving elevate this dish, along with a decadent drizzle of truffle oil!
A complete ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions you can try when making this comforting dinner:
- Kale - stir in baby spinach instead.
- Cashew cream - try unsweetened non-dairy heavy cream, soy milk or any non-dairy milk of your choice (unsweetened, unflavored). You can also try canned coconut milk.
- Baby Bella mushrooms - try white mushrooms like cremini, shiitake mushrooms, or oyster mushrooms. If you don't like mushrooms, try green beans instead.
- Olive oil - use vegan butter instead.
- Pasta - use fresh pasta instead, whole wheat pasta, or your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Pasta water - if you forget to save this, use vegetable broth and a splash of white wine.
Variations
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes while cooking
- Deluxe - be sure to add truffle carpaccio; the aroma of truffle oil puts this dish over the top!
- Gluten-free - instead of regular pasta, use gluten-free pasta.
- Fresh herbs - instead of sage, use fresh thyme instead. Or top with fresh parsley.
- No garlic - skip the garlic and add nutritional yeast to make the sauce more cheesy.
- Add lemon juice - stir in a small amount while everything mixes before serving.
- Flavor - add a pinch of garlic powder when adding sauteed mushrooms to the pasta.
How to Make Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Here are the steps to make this easy vegan pasta recipe with garlic and mushrooms:
Making homemade cashew cream is easy, a dairy-free substitute for heavy cream. Here are the steps, and check out this cashew cream recipe for more details.
- Step 1: Pour boiling water over the cashew pieces and place them on the kitchen counter for at least 2 hours. Then, drain and rinse the cashew pieces.
- Step 2: Place the cashews in a high-speed blender and add ¾ cup fresh cold water. Blend for 1 minute, starting at slow speed, gradually going up to high speed, until creamy. Reserve ½ cup for the recipe, and store the rest in the fridge for another use. Add water as needed if it is too thick and creamy.
If you plan to top the pasta with truffle carpaccio, take it out of the fridge so the olive oil can soften, allowing you to remove the truffle slices.
- Step 3: Cook the pasta in a large pot of water according to package directions in salted water; cook it two minutes less than the recommended time or until it is almost al dente.
- Step 4: Reserve a half cup of pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.
- Step 5: While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat; add olive oil. Once shimmering, add shallots and garlic to the hot pan, and saute until lightly golden. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.
- Step 6: Add mushrooms, sage, and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the edges of the mushrooms are browning.
- Step 7: Using the pot the pasta was cooked in, add ¼ cup pasta water, ½ cup cashew cream, pasta, sauteed mushrooms, and kale.
- Step 8: Stir the cooked pasta with everything on low heat until the kale wilts; it takes only a few minutes. See the finished dish below.
Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta for two minutes less than the recommended time for best results.
- Add small amounts of pasta water as needed to keep the sauce from getting dry.
- Add a tablespoon or two of cashew cream to the pasta water if needed.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt as needed.
How To Serve This Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Top with vegan Parm, freshly ground black pepper, and truffle carpaccio, if desired. Serve in shallow bowls immediately
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When reheating on the range, add a small amount of water if the cashew cream is too thick.
I don't recommend freezing since it will affect the texture.
Related Vegan Recipes
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta Recipe with Garlic
EQUIPMENT
- High-speed blender for cashew cream
- large saucepan for pasta
- Large deep skillet for mushrooms
INGREDIENTS
For cashew cream
- 2 ¾ cups hot water divided
- 1 cup raw cashew pieces
For mushroom pasta
- 4 oz pasta or any pasta you like, like rotini or shells
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots diced, approximately ¼ cup
- 2 garlic cloves diced
- 8 oz Baby Bella mushrooms or portobello, shiitake, white button mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt divided
- 1 oz fresh kale no stems, chopped, approximately 2 cups
- ½ cup cashew cream
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons vegan Parm optional
- Truffled mushroom carpaccio optional
INSTRUCTIONS
For cashew cream
- Pour 2 cups boiling hot water over cashew pieces and let sit for at least 2 hours. Drain and rinse cashew pieces. Place in high-speed blender; add ¾ cup fresh cold water. Blend for 1 minute, starting at slow speed, gradually going up to high speed, until creamy. Reserve ½ cup for the recipe, and store the rest in the fridge for another use.2 ¾ cups hot water, 1 cup raw cashew pieces
For mushroom pasta
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of water according to package instructions in salted water; remove 2 minutes before recommended cooking time. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.4 oz pasta
- While pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes; add olive oil. Once shimmering, add shallots and garlic, and saute until lightly golden, for approximately 3 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 2 shallots, 2 garlic cloves
- Add sauteed mushrooms, chopped sage, and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until edges of mushrooms are browning.8 oz Baby Bella mushrooms, 1 tablespoon fresh sage, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Using the pot the pasta was cooked in, add ¼ cup pasta water, ½ cup cashew cream, pasta, mushrooms, and kale. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve in shallow bowls, freshly ground black pepper, vegan Parm, and truffle carpaccio, if desired.1 oz fresh kale, ½ cup cashew cream, Freshly ground black pepper, 4 tablespoons vegan Parm, Truffled mushroom carpaccio
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Amy says
This is so delicious and I love how easy to make this dish, everyone loves it!
Emily says
Thank you so much for your review, Amy. I am delighted to hear that my recipe was a hit!
Amy says
That is so easy and delicious! I am so excited to make this for everyone!
Emily says
Thank you, Amy! I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback!
Tara says
Such a fantastic pasta dish! Definitely a perfect option for weeknights. I love how you used cashews as the base.
Emily says
Thank you, Tara, for your kind words about the pasta dish. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Sara says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a hit all around the table! Quick, easy and delicious; my whole family loved it!
Emily says
Thank you, Sara! I'm glad to hear that everyone enjoyed it and that it was quick, easy, and delicious. I appreciate your support!
Seema says
I struggle to get the right creaminess for pasta. Thanks to your recipe for the lovely cashew cream, that problem has finally been solved. The pasta turned out delicious and your recipe is spot on.
Emily says
Thank you for trying out my recipe, Seema! I'm glad you found it helpful and that the pasta turned out delicious!
Lisa says
I would never have guessed this was vegan. Incredibly creamy!
Emily says
Thank you for trying this pasta, Lisa! I'm glad you were surprised by how creamy it was. I'm passionate about creating dishes that are not only vegan but also delicious!
Kim says
Delicious! I love how fresh this pasta tasted with the kale. And the cashew cream was super good!
Emily says
Thank you for trying this recipe, Kim! We're so happy that you loved the pasta and cashew cream. The kale gives a great flavor and texture to the dish. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.