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Vegan Pasta Bake

Creamy Vegan Pasta Bake Recipe

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb short pasta (rigatoni or penne)
  • 1 ½ cups raw cashews
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 5 oz fresh baby spinach
  • ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
  • Olive oil

Method
 

  1. Make the cashew cream: blend soaked cashews, almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper until completely smooth.
  2. Wilt the spinach with the pasta: cook pasta 2 minutes short of al dente, reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain, return to the hot pot, and stir in the spinach until wilted.
  3. Toss everything together: fold in the cashew cream and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, adding splashes of pasta water if the mix feels dry.
  4. Assemble the bake: transfer to a greased 9x13-inch dish, top with breadcrumbs if using, drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden.
  5. Scoop and serve: let the bake rest for 5 minutes, then spoon into bowls and finish with fresh basil and black pepper.

Notes

If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 30 minutes and blend in bursts, scraping the sides down. The bake can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated; just add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time. Leftovers taste even better the next day.