This creamy vegan pasta sauce is silky and rich with flavour. Perfect for a fall dinner, or autumn as I prefer to call it. I opted to skip the step of roasting the pumpkin, which you could easily do, but that adds a fair amount of time, so instead I use plain canned pumpkin. Easy Peasy-Deliciousness!
Ingredients
1/2 cup cashews whole, soaked overnight (or use my tip below*)
1 onion, small diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dried sage
tt cayenne
1-14 oz can plain pumpkin puree (not seasoned for pies)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (vegan)
1-2 tsp Brewer's yeast flakes
1-2 tbsp ketchup
1-2 cups vegetable stock
tt salt and pepper
fresh herbs: thyme, basil
16 oz pasta of your choice, cooked; spiral or penne both work well
Instructions
Please read Susie's Tips and Tricks below
*You can soak your cashews overnight, but it's so much easier if you use your pressure cooker to soften them. Place cashews in pot with 3/4-1 cup water. Lock lid and set time for 2 minutes, release pressure after 10 minutes, drain and use as desired. The texture is soft and blends wonderfully.
1. In a medium size saute pan, lightly caramelize the onions, garlic, bay leaf, nutmeg, sage, and cayenne in a drizzle of oil. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Place pumpkin puree, Worcestershire, brewer's yeast, ketchup, prepared cashews, and 1/4 of the sauteed onion mixture, with 1/3 cup vegetable stock in a high speed blender. Pulse the mixture until smooth and creamy. Add more stock to desired consistency.
3. Add the remaining onion mixture. Taste and season again with herbs and spices; include salt and pepper as desired. Then pour over hot pasta to heat through.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
You could use roasted squash if desired.
Soy sauce can substitute for Worcestershire (careful not to use too much).
Pumpkin is bland; it needs a bit more seasoning than most dishes.
It's important to build that umami taste with this dish. Using Brewer's yeast and Worcestershire (among others) gives that rich, savory essence people love to consume.
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