This crazy delicious Dairy Free Creamy Pasta Sauce is truly the creamiest pasta sauce around. It tastes like it's made with a carton of cream, but it is 100% dairy free. Even if you eat cheese (like I do) you will LOVE this healthy recipe! It's also paleo + gluten-free + Whole30 compliant and can easily be made vegan.
Ingredients
8ouncesdried pasta
1tablespoonolive oil
1mediumonion, chopped
3clovesgarlic, minced
1 ¼cupsraw cashews, see notes
1 ½ cupwater
28ouncecan crushed tomatoes
1teaspoonsea salt
3tablespoonsfish 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. 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.
1 ¼ cups raw cashews, 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 ½ cup water
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
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 might seem like a funny ingredient to use, but gives the cream sauce a ton of deliciously rich flavor. It can be found in bottles in the Asian section of your grocery store.