White Wine Cashew Cream Sauce & Pasta

Easy, rich, creamy, but entirely dairy free, this is a white wine cashew cream sauce you don’t want to miss! Plus, it only takes about 20 minutes to make and is loved by all types of eaters.

Surprise, surprise, it’s me again, back with another pasta recipe!! I already have a few different vegan cream sauces but I am of the belief that more is merrier when it comes to pasta.

My mushroom broccoli rigatoni with lemon garlic cream sauce has been such a hit, but I wanted to create a dairy free white sauce that was a bit more rich, indulgent, and shall I say, adultish?!

If it has wine in the sauce, then it already gets bumped up a few notches on the adulting scale IMO.

This cashew cream sauce is FULL of flavor (hi garlic and white wine), and so easy to make. It takes only about 20-30 minutes from start to finish, which is a total win in my book.

How to make cashew cream sauce

Add the cashews into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for about 30 minutes. If you have more time to let them soak, great, that will help them soften more and make the sauce as creamy as can be.

Add 2 cloves of minced garlic to a pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Saute for 5 minutes or until browned. Add in the sliced mushrooms and saute until wilted, about 10 minutes. Once done, add the mushrooms to a bowl and set the pan aside, we’ll reuse it in a second.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. 

Mince the garlic and add to a pan with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Saute until golden brown and nice and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Pour in the white wine and cook for 3-5 minutes so the flavors blend and the alcohol cooks off. You don’t want all of the liquid to evaporate, but it should not have a strong alcohol smell. 

Add the mixture to a high speed blender with the drained and rinsed cashews, nutritional yeast, the remaining olive oil, and all of the other ingredients. 

Process until completely smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. The longer you process, the smoother it gets.

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. I usually add a touch more salt and white pepper, but it’s up to you!

Pour over cooked pasta and mushrooms and stir to combine.  Serve immediately and enjoy! 

What type of wine is best?

I suggest using a white wine that is on the drier side. You definitely don’t want to use one that is too sweet. I personally used pinot grigio for this recipe because it is a bit more neutral than other white wines.

I am certainly no wine connoisseur, but I found this article gives a nice overview of different wines and how to use them in cooking.

The only thing you want to avoid is purchasing a wine labeled as “cooking wine” because they generally have more salt and other additives and won’t yield a nice rich flavor.

I know it seems counterintuitive to not use cooking wine when cooking, but trust me, you want to stick to the good stuff!

Tips and substitutions

I do not suggest using roasted cashews in place of raw cashews. They will yield a different flavor that is not quite as pleasant for pasta.

A lot of recipes will tell you to soak cashews overnight. However, to speed up the process of soaking cashews, I suggest using boiling water. This way, you only need to soak them for about 30 minutes as opposed to overnight.

This cashew cream sauce pairs well with some grilled chicken or fish, or just on its own!

This pasta is best served fresh, but it will keep in the fridge for 3 days. I recommend heating it up on the stove with a splash of milk or broth so the sauce gets nice and saucey again since it can dry out a bit in the fridge.

Try these recipes next

• The Best Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese
• Creamy White Bean Pasta Sauce
• Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
• Vegan Vodka Sauce

Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list! As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram so I can see your creation!