Creamy Dairy Free Pasta Sauce with Cashews

Here’s an everyday dairy-free pasta sauce that’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor. It’s similar to a rosé cream sauce, but without all the butter and cream. Toss it with your favorite pasta or veggie noodles for a quick, easy, and creamy dinner the whole family will enjoy!

My family LOVES this dairy-free pasta recipe!

It’s always a big win if there’s a unanimous nod of approval when dinner hits the table at my house. This dairy-free creamy pasta sauce is one such recipe, and has quickly become a family favorite! Here’s why we love it:

1. It is creamy, rich, and flavorful without butter, cream, or cheese, making it 100% dairy-free.
2. It’s lighter than traditional cream-based pasta sauces, so it won’t weigh you down.
3. It’s easy to make with a few ingredients.
4. It’s ready in just 10 minutes!

I use tomatoes in this creamy dairy-free pasta sauce, so it’s more like a rosé cream sauce than an Alfredo sauce. The not-so-secret ingredient that makes it creamy is soaked cashews. When cashews are soaked and blended, they make a perfect dairy-free substitute for heavy cream, sour cream, and more!

My family prefers cashews to other common ingredients, such as coconut milk, because they are neutral in flavor. You’ll notice that I use fish sauce, which might seem like an odd ingredient, but it’s an excellent seasoning for this sauce, adding a rich umami flavor.

It’s a versatile sauce you can serve over any noodle style, such as spaghetti, penne, or veggie noodles. I always sprinkle it with some fresh basil and dried chili flakes, and serve it with a big beautiful salad with whatever is in season.

Try my dairy free pesto with toasted cashews for another delicious pasta sauce that’s completely dairy-free!

Store and freeze

Store: You can make this sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

Freeze: This sauce freezes well. It can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.

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Dairy Free Pasta Sauce with Cashews

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

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Here's an everyday dairy-free pasta sauce that's rich, creamy, and full of flavor. It's similar to a rosé cream sauce, but without all the butter and cream. Toss it with your favorite pasta or veggie noodles for a quick, easy, and creamy dinner the whole family will enjoy!

8

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces dried pasta
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion (chopped)
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups raw cashews (see notes)
• ▢ 1 ½ cup water
• ▢ 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fish sauce (omit or use vegan substitute if needed – see notes)
• ▢ Minced basil or parsley (to serve)

Instructions 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
  8 ounces dried pasta
  
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it is soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic
  
• Transfer the onions and garlic to your high-powered blender or food processor. Add the cashews and water and blend on high until completely smooth.
  1 ¼ cups raw cashews, 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 ½ cup water
  
• Pour the cashew cream back into the pan and add the crushed tomatoes, sea salt, and (if using) the fish sauce. Whisk well and simmer for 5 minutes.
  
• Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve with some minced basil or parsley over top.
  Minced basil or parsley
  

Notes

Blender: If you don’t have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews in water for 3-4 hours before using them to make them easier to blend. Simply put them into a jar, fill the jar with water, and pop it into your fridge. Discard the water before using the cashews.

Fish sauce: This might seem like an unusual ingredient to use, but it adds a ton of deliciously rich flavor to the cream sauce. It can be found in bottles in the Asian section of your grocery store. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 168kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 15g (5%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 11g (17%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 955mg (42%), Potassium: 468mg (13%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 6g (7%), Vitamin A: 215IU (4%), Vitamin C: 11mg (13%), Calcium: 49mg (5%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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