Creamy & Dreamy Vodka Pasta

This is an original recipe that I’m so proud to be sharing. What’s so fun about cooking is that over the years you try so many recipes, techniques and ingredients that you start to develop your own perspective. One night in my kitchen, I was wanting to make something similar between a vodka sauce and a bolognese. I had a box of Banza’s chickpea pasta in my pantry so I wanted the meal to be fully vegan. I am officially naming this recipe the “Creamy & Dreamy Vodka Pasta”. It’s a mouthful of a name but the meal is so tasty. 

 

What is vegan about the Creamy & Dreamy Vodka Pasta?

Instead of heavy cream, I have substituted it with my homemade cashew cream. The cashew cream is a great replacement because it’s dairy free and rich in nutritional benefits like iron, magnesium and unsaturated fats. It’s pretty simple to make the cashew cream at home and can be used for other recipes that would call for heavy cream. 

 

Can vegan food taste good? 

Somewhere in the food scene, vegan food has gotten a bad rep but I’m here to reassure you that vegan food can taste good. Getting fresh produce from the grocery store and seasoning it well is the key to a delicious tasting vegan meal. 

If you’re interested in preparing more vegan meals, you can check out these cookbooks that I have on my own kitchen shelf and cook from regularly. Those are the Korean Vegan and Vegetable Kingdom. Just so you know, i’ll receive a small commission when you buy from the Bookshop links I just shared.

 

What is Banza pasta?

Banza is a relatively new plant-based pasta that hit the grocery shelves not too many years ago. It’s a high-protein, high-fiber pasta made from chickpeas. Because of this, it’s gluten free and a great alternative to regular dried pasta. You can’t miss a bright orange box of Banza amongst the other dried pastas at the grocery store.  

You can purchase it online or from your local grocery store. 

Below is a short list of where you can grab it in your area:

• Bozeman: Rosauers, Bozeman Co-Op
• Chicago Suburbs: Marianos, Sunset Foods
• Northern California: Rainbow Grocery Co-Op, Mollie Stone’s Market
• Southern California: Bristol Farms Market, Rainbow Acres 

Not seeing your region on the list? You can buy Banza from retailers like Target, Whole Foods, CVS, Sprouts and others.

 

What does this recipe taste like?

Extremely creamy, it’s a dream. You won’t notice that this recipe doesn’t have any dairy because umami flavors come from the tomatoes and mushrooms. By using Banza pasta, there is a subtle nutty flavor that adds depth to each bite. The pasta sauce is primarily blended and smooth but there are a few small bits of vegetables that add variety to the pasta’s texture. 

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Servings: 3 portions, plenty of extra sauce 

Time: 55 minutes 

See Tips and Frequently Asked Questions below the recipe 

Ingredients

• Half on a yellow onion, finely diced 
• 2 large carrots, finely diced
• 3 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons vodka
• 2 fresh tomatoes, diced 
• 1 can diced tomatoes 
• Salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 pinches of red pepper flakes
• 1 cup soaked cashews 
• 1 box of Banza Cavatappi

Making the Cashew Cream - 10 minutes 

1. Soak 1 cup of cashews in a bowl for 6 hours or overnight. 
2. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
3. Combine the soaked cashews with 1½ cup water in a blender. 
4. Blend until smooth. Set aside. 

Preparing the Meal - 45 minutes 

Watch the Recipe Come Together

1. Slice and dice the vegetables according to the ingredients list above. 
2. Put a pot of water on the stove top and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
3. Place a large saucepan on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the onions until translucent, being cautious to not burn them. 
4. Add in the carrots and mushrooms. Cook until most of the mushroom moisture has evaporated. Add in the vodka and cook for 2 minutes so the alcohol burns off. 
5. Stir in the tomato paste and let cook for 1 minute. Add the fresh tomatoes and can of diced tomatoes. Generously salt what is in the pan. Add the garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes while the pasta cooks. 
6. Remove ⅔ of the pasta sauce and place into a blender. Blend until smooth. Return the smooth sauce back into the pan with the remaining chunky mixture. 
7. Stir in ½ - 1 cup of the cashew cream depending on how creamy you would like the sauce.
8. Add in the cooked pasta and coat until all shapes are evenly coated.
9. Serve immediately with fresh basil or red peppercorn flakes. 

Tips

• If you’re using Banza pasta, don’t overcook it. The plant-based pasta has a tendency to lump together and break into pieces more easily if it’s cooked too long. 
• Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water in case you need to thin the pasta sauce. You can also use a bit of this starchy liquid on top of your pasta leftovers to keep the pasta from drying out when you microwave it. 
• For my household, one box of Banza is only good for two servings. When I remake this recipe, I’ll use one and a half boxes of Banza for leftovers because there’s definitely enough sauce to increase the pasta amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with any leftover cashew cream? 

You can keep it in the fridge to make more recipes for up to 3 days. I will freeze mine to thaw for a future use. 

Can I use a different pasta brand or shape?

Of course. Choose the pasta brand or shape that best suits your preferences.