Vegan Vodka Sauce

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Pasta with vodka sauce was always one of my favorite dishes to order at restaurants, with its creamy, rich texture. This dairy-free, vegan version uses cashews to give you all that flavor without the dairy. So I can have my favorite comfort meal at home without any dairy.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dairy-free, vegan, vodka sauce

Servings: servings

Author: Sabine Venier

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
¾ cup tomato paste
¼ cup vodka
½ cup raw cashews soaked 4 hours or boiled 10 minutes (reserve some of the water)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast sub for vegan parmesan
½ tsp salt more to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper more to taste
10 oz. gluten-free pasta of your choosing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add tomato paste and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
Add vodka and simmer for another 3-4 minutes to reduce the vodka.
Meanwhile, blend soaked cashews. Add water as needed, about ¼ cup, and blend until very smooth.
Stir cashew cream into the vodka sauce.
Add nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Simmer 2-3 more minutes until creamy. Keep the sauce warm until the pasta is done.
Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta water and add it to the sauce to thin it to your preference, about 1 cup. Toss pasta with the sauce.
Garnish with vegan cheese or fresh basil to your liking. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Nut-free alternatives. If you need to skip cashews, swap in an equal amount of unsweetened coconut cream or oat cream. Both create a rich, velvety sauce, though coconut will add a hint of sweetness while oat cream keeps the flavor more neutral.
Add spice: Add in red pepper flakes while you toast the tomato paste to add a bit of heat to the sauce.

Nutrition