Creamy Red Pepper Alfredo Pasta Recipe
A deliciously creamy and dairy-free red pepper Alfredo pasta made with blended cashews and roasted red bell pepper, perfect for a vegan or vegetarian meal. This recipe offers a rich, flavorful sauce that’s easy to prepare and pairs wonderfully with pasta or vegetables.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 6-8 hours soaking time)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Alfredo Sauce Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper (raw or roasted)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (or macadamia nuts)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or Parmesan cheese)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
Main Dish
- 10 oz pasta (or spaghetti squash or vegetables)
- Optional grilled or roasted veggies, beans, or other add-ins
Instructions
- Soak Nuts: Place the raw cashews or macadamia nuts in a cereal bowl, cover completely with water, and allow them to soak for 6-8 hours. After soaking, drain the nuts fully and pat them dry to prepare for blending.
- Prepare Alfredo Sauce: In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the soaked nuts, red bell pepper, 1/2 cup water, nutritional yeast or Parmesan, salt, onion powder, turmeric, and optional nutmeg. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Cook Pasta: In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta thoroughly but do not rinse it, to retain the starches for better sauce adherence.
- Heat Sauce and Combine: Pour the blended sauce into a pot and gently heat it to your desired temperature. Once heated, pour the sauce over the cooked pasta, season with additional salt and pepper if needed, and gently stir in any optional cooked vegetables, beans, or other add-ins to complete the dish.
Notes
- Soaking the nuts overnight softens them and yields a smoother sauce texture.
- Roasted red bell peppers add a deeper, smoky flavor, but raw peppers will work for a fresher taste.
- You can substitute pasta with spaghetti squash or steamed vegetables for a low-carb option.
- Adjust seasoning gently after blending as the nutritional yeast or cheese may add saltiness.
- The sauce can be made in advance and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Keywords: creamy red pepper Alfredo, vegan Alfredo sauce, cashew Alfredo pasta, dairy-free pasta sauce, Italian-inspired vegan recipe
Find it online: https://servedbynora.com/creamy-red-pepper-alfredo-pasta-recipe/
