This Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta is an easy and delicious plant based dinner or meal prep recipe that only takes 30 minutes to make. This healthy vegan pasta recipe loaded with hearty mushrooms and coated in a rich decadent oil-free cream sauce for a filling and delicious meal that everyone will love!
Why You'll Love Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Beginner friendly recipe – This is an easy vegan recipe that requires basic cooking equipment and a blender, making it great for anyone new to vegan cooking.
- Easily gluten free – Steamed potatoes and raw cashews are the key to make this sauce thick and ultra creamy without the need for flour, so this vegan pasta recipe can be made gluten free simply by choosing a gluten free pasta.
- Meal prep friendly – This pasta dish keeps well in the fridge in a sealed container for the week and reheats easily, but is also delicious cold, making it useful as a vegan lunch or dinner meal prep addition. Plus, it is ready in about 30 minutes so you don’t need to spend much time cooking for the week.
- Nutritious and delicious – Oh so creamy and dreamy and loaded with flavor! This tasty vegan mushroom pasta recipe is also loaded with nutrients like B-vitamins, vitamin D, potassium, selenium, iron, fiber, and more. It is easy to have a delicious meal that is also good for you!
Equipment Needed
- Medium or large Steam pot or stock pot with a steamer basket
- Medium sized non-stick skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Blender, I use a Vitamix blender and absolutely love it!
- Cooking utensils
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients for Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Russet potatoes. For the base of the cream sauce, the starch in potatoes makes it thick and creamy.
- Cauliflower. Adds bulk to the sauce with minimal calories. You can substitute with tofu or cooked white beans if preferred.
- Garlic and Onion
- Cashews. Adds extra creaminess to the sauce. Make sure to use unsalted raw cashews. Soaking the cashews for at least 2 hours or boiling them for 5-10 minutes will soften them to blend more easily for a silkier sauce. If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you may not need to soak them. For a low fat cream sauce, you can substitute the cashews with cooked white beans, tofu, or additional steamed cauliflower.
- Mushrooms. I prefer portobello or shiitake for their firmer texture, but any mushrooms will work in this recipe.
- Dried herbs including basil, thyme, and rosemary. You can also substitute with an Italian herb seasoning blend.
- Spices including onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Non-dairy milk. Any version will work, just make sure it is unsweetened unflavored. I usually choose soy milk or extra creamy oat milk for cream sauces.
- Nutritional yeast. This provides the dairy-free cheesy flavor to the cream sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar. Can be substituted with rice or white vinegar.
- Pasta of choice. For a gluten-free recipe, simply choose a gluten-free pasta. You can make it higher in protein and fiber by choosing a bean-based pasta like Banza Chickpea Pasta.
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How to Make Vegan Mushroom Pasta
Step One – Steam the veggies for the sauce base
Bring 2 inches of water in a steam pot to a boil with the potatoes and cauliflower and cover. Steam the potatoes and cauliflower for 10 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and steam for additional 3 minutes until everything is soft enough to be easily pierced through with a fork.
Step Two – Sauté the mushrooms
While the veggies steam, add the mushrooms and onion to a non-stick skillet over medium heat, with a little water to prevent sticking (alternatively, you can use oil). Leave undisturbed for 2-3 minutes for the mushrooms to start releasing moisture. Then mix and add the dried herbs, stir and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
Step Three – Boil the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
Step Four – Blend the cream sauce
While the pasta cooks, the potatoes and cauliflower should be finished steaming. Carefully transfer the steamed veggies to a blender. Add the non-dairy milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and blend until very smooth and creamy. Add 1/3 of the mushroom and onion mixture and blend until well combined.
Step Five – Bring it all together
Drain the cooked pasta and transfer back to the pot. Immediately pour in the cream sauce and mix together. Add the remaining sautéed mushrooms and onions and gently stir to coat in the sauce. Spoon onto serving dishes, garnish with cracked pepper or vegan parmesan, if desired, and enjoy!
Storage and Meal Prep Tips
- Storage: The pasta will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep extra sauce in a separate container, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or longer in the freezer.
- Reheating: To reheat, add a little more sauce or a touch of non-dairy milk and heat in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until hot. The pasta can also be reheated on the stovetop over low heat.
- Meal Prep: For quick and easy meals, store individual servings in separate meal-prep containers to grab when needed. This dish can be eaten hot or cold.
Serving Suggestions
- As a meal. This pasta dish is hearty and filling and can be eaten as a meal. When this recipe is divided into 6 servings, each contains ~500 calories, 11g fat, 90g carbs, 8g fiber, and 17g protein.
- As a side dish: Pasta dishes make great side dishes when paired with steamed veggies and a protein source. This creamy mushroom pasta pairs deliciously with steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus with Almond Crusted Lemon Pepper Tofu or Crispy Cauliflower Steaks.
- With a salad: This rich pasta is great with a salad. I love to have it with my Crispy Tofu Caesar Salad for a healthy high-protein lunch or dinner.
- As a meal base: Add plant based Eggplant Meatballs on top with some steamed greens for a hearty meal in one bowl.
Love Pasta? Try these vegan pasta dishes next:
This vegan mushroom pasta with cream sauce is an easy, comforting, plant-based dinner that comes together quickly so it is perfect for a weeknight meal. Pasta dishes help keep vegan eating simple and satisfying, and this recipe is a must try for anyone, vegan or not, who loves a cozy and creamy pasta that is also guilt-free and meatless!
If you try this pasta recipe, please leave a rating and comment to help support this blog and help others find easy plant based recipes. For more vegan meal inspiration and recipes, follow @RootyFruityVegan on social media.
Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This vegan pasta dish is made with tender savory mushrooms and a silky smooth flavorful cream sauce. Whether you want a healthy comfort dish or a meal-prep recipe, this creamy mushroom pasta is worth a try!
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped cauliflower
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 16 oz mushrooms, sliced (I used portobello but any kind will work)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain non-dairy milk
- 1 cup unsalted raw cashews, soaked 2+ hours or boiled 5-10 minutes
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb. (16 oz) pasta of choice, gluten-free if desired
Instructions
- Bring 2 inches of water in a steam pot to a boil with the potatoes and cauliflower and cover. Steam the potatoes and cauliflower for 10 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and steam for additional 3 minutes until everything is soft enough to be easily pierced through with a fork.
- While the veggies steam, add the mushrooms and onion to a non-stick skillet over medium heat, with a little water to prevent sticking (alternatively, you can use oil). Leave undisturbed for 2-3 minutes for the mushrooms to start releasing moisture. Then mix and add the dried herbs (basil, thyme, and rosemary), stir and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta cooks, the potatoes and cauliflower should be finished steaming. Carefully transfer the steamed veggies to a blender. Add the non-dairy milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and blend until very smooth and creamy. Add 1/3 of the mushroom and onion mixture and blend until well combined.
- Drain the cooked pasta and transfer back to the pot. Immediately pour in the cream sauce and mix together. Add the remaining sautéed mushrooms and onions and gently stir to coat in the sauce. Spoon into serving dishes, garnish with cracked pepper or vegan parmesan, if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutritional information is calculated using Barilla Gluten Free Penne pasta
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
- Method: Boiling, Sautéing, Steaming
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 335 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 89 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
