Cheesy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta

Do you ever just crave a gigantic bowl of creamy, cheesy pasta? Yeah, same. Which is where the inspo for this Cheesy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta came from. This pasta gets its creaminess from cashew milk, it’s cheesy, salty, savory flavors from nutritional yeast, and a little extra bite from the addition of white wine. The biggest bonus is that the wine is totally necessary for this recipe, but you only need 1/3 cup, so cheers to sipping and simmering. You’re welcome.

Ingredients:

1 box of rotini  pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp crushed garlic (or garlic powder)

1/3 cup white wine

2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot

1 cup cashew milk (plus more to thin)

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup nutritional yeast (add up to an additional 1/2 cup for extra cheesiness)

Salt and pepper

To begin, boil water, add a couple teaspoons of salt, and cook that pasta! Fresh is always best, but you can fully use boxed (I did) or even a gluten-free variety. If you’re going for a vegan dish, be sure your pasta doesn’t contain eggs, lots do!

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan and add your garlic. Let that cook until it just starts to brown before adding your 1/3 cup of white wine. Sip. While the wine/garlic mixture is simmering, whisk 2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot with 1 cup of cashew milk. Add your milk mixture to the wine and stir constantly until it’s all nice and thick. Toss in the 1/2 cup canned pumpkin, then add your 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 2 tsp salt, and a few shakes of pepper. Taste it to be sure it’s as cheesy and salty as your heart desires. (I always add more nutritional yeast and salt at this point. I know.) You can also add more cashew milk if you like a runnier sauce. If your going for Insta-worthy smoothness-and-creaminess, pour your thickened sauce into the blender and pulse a few times before pouring it over your rinsed and drained pasta to get rid of any little lumps.

Give it all a big stir and serve alongside a bed of greens because we are all adults here and we’re trying. No guilt for licking the sauce straight from the blender. Also, take a moment to appreciate that the cheesy goodness is somehow completely vegan. Way. To. Go!

Enjoy!

Christina  @abuelitaeats

Thank you, Christina! We know what we’re making tonight! Share your best cooking tips in the comments!

xo

Lulus Blog recipes come from our fantastic food contributor, Christina Evert! Christina shares her delicious recipes and mouthwatering food photography with us twice a month. With a focus on vegetarian and pescatarian recipes, Christina shares her cooking adventures on her Instagram, @abuelitaeats, showing how easy and tasty it can be to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet via her simple yet scrumptious meals and snacks. Be sure to follow her Instagram for even more incredible food content and check back every other week for a new recipe from Christina on the Lulus Blog! xo