Creamy Vegan Fettuccine

I became a Dreena Burton fan through her cookbook Eat, Drink and Be Vegan, and have remained loyal to her wonderful recipes ever since. Something about the way she cooks fits so perfectly with the ingredients I love to use and the cuisine I crave. Plus, her recipes always work – plain and simple. So I was elated when she offered to share this creamy vegan fettuccine recipe from her brand new book, Plant-Powered Families: Over 100 Kid-Tested, Whole Foods Vegan Recipes.

And yes, this creamy vegan fettuccine with all of its alfredo-like luxury is a great representation of the deliciousness in Plant-Powered Families …

Dreena offers a nice introduction, and then jumps us right into the day with a hefty Healthy Mornings recipe section. Salad Dressings, Sauces, and Toppers are sandwiched between Lunch Fixes and Dinnertime. And of course, what better way to wrap up the recipes than with some (okay, many) Sweet Treats?

Recipes that I immediately dogeared (trust me, there will be more on my second pass), included: Cinnamon French Toast, Apple-Spice Hemp Muffins, Pumpkin Snackles, Artichoke-Spinach Dip, Cheesy Caesar Dressing, Seasoned Polenta Croutons, Umami Sun-Dried Tomato and Almond Burgers, Creamy Vegan Fettuccine (yes, recipe below!), Tofu in Cashew Ginger Sauce, Nut-Free “Frosted Brawnies”, and Vanilla Bean Almond Butter Fudge.

But don’t be tempted to stop perusing and enjoying after the recipes. Plant-Powered Families ends with info-packed chapters on DIY Staples and Cookie Guides, Meal Plans and Plant-Powered FAQs.

Special Diet Notes: Creamy Vegan Fettuccine

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, peanut-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian.

For soy-free, creamy vegan fettuccine, be sure to pick a soy-free nondairy milk and pick up some chickpea or brown rice miso that is made without soy.

Creamy Vegan Fettuccine

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

27 mins

 

The sauce in this recipe takes just minutes to make (be sure the nuts are pre-soaked), and yet is so creamy and rich! Serve with traditional fettuccine noodles, or any other noodles you prefer. Recipe reprinted with permissions from Plant-Powered Families by Dreena Burton; BenBella Books, 2015.

Author: Dreena Burton

Serves: Makes 2½–3 cups of sauce, serves 3–4

Ingredients

• ¾ to 1 lb whole-grain fettuccine (can use gluten-free)
• ½ cup soaked and drained raw cashews
• ½ cup soaked and drained raw almonds
• 3 to 4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, divided
• ½ tablespoon mild miso (see post above for soy-free)
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic (see note below)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup + 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage (see note below)
• 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Few pinches freshly grated nutmeg and/or black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta sauce. In a blender, puree the cashews, almonds, 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts, miso, garlic, sea salt, Dijon, onion powder, water, ½ cup milk beverage, and lemon juice until very smooth.
3. Drain pasta (don’t rinse) and return it to the cooking pot. Add the sauce (scrape it all out of the blender) and adjust heat to medium-low. Let the sauce thicken; this will take just 2 to 3 minutes. If needed, stir in the additional milk beverage (see note below).
4. Stir in the lemon zest, nutmeg, and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts.

Notes

Garlic and Spice Note: This sauce is meant to be very family-friendly. Adults may want to boost the punch with a little more garlic, Dijon, and/or black pepper. As with my other recipes, if your kiddos are sensitive to garlic “sting,” use just one clove.

Milk Beverage Note: Once the pasta has sat for a minute or two after serving, it will continue to thicken. Add another 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk beverage or more if needed to thin, and stir through over low heat.

Idea: Greens are delicious wilted into this pasta! Try adding a few handfuls of baby spinach just before serving (the heat of the pasta will wilt the spinach without overcooking). If you’d like to use a hardier green like chopped kale, add it to the pasta cooking water just before draining the pasta. Proceed with the recipe and serve immediately so the greens do not overcook.

3.3.3070