Creamy Miso-Shiitake Pasta

This Creamy Miso-Shiitake Pasta may be one of the best things I’ve ever made! Seriously, this sauce is pure magic.

John claims he doesn’t like shiitake mushrooms and he devoured this pasta, so even if you are not a fan of mushrooms, this dish might change your mind. Trust me, it’s awesome. This plant-based pasta is rich, velvety and packed with umami flavor. It’s incredibly delicious and the best way to celebrate the weekend is finally here.

I used soaked cashew to make this extra creamy and blended them with sauteed mushrooms and miso and OMG. The flavors are insane! Nobody will ever know this beautiful silky sauce is vegan and so nourishing. Yes, cashews are healthy. Yes, nutritional yeast is amazing. Yes, miso improves digestion. But did you know shiitake mushrooms have an incredible array of health benefits? They destroy cancer cells, boost immune function, improve heart health and so much more! Want to keep learning about these amazing shrooms? Check out this link.

I used whole-wheat pasta, but feel free to use spelt, farro or GF pasta instead. You can also substitute the olive oil for some veggie broth to make this creamy mushroom pasta oil-free.

If you try this vegan pasta recipe, let us know what you think. Tag us on Instagram @mondaydreamsblog or leave a comment below, we love hearing from you!

Creamy Miso-Shiitake Pasta

This is a great crowd-pleasing pasta. It’s easy, quick and bursting with umami flavor! So creamy it tastes a bit decadent, but It’s actually quite light and healthy. It’s also vegan and can be easily made gluten-free and oil-free.

Soaking Time 2

Total Time 20

Servings 3

Ingredients

PASTA:

3 servings of whole-wheat or GF spaghetti - 8 ounces – 230 grams
1 Tbsp of olive oil – sub veggie broth if you are on an oil-free diet
3 small green onions, sliced
1 big garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chili flakes
5.5 oz or 150 grams shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and thinly sliced*
Sea salt

MISO-SHIITAKE SAUCE:

1 cup water
½ cup of cashews - soaked for at least 2 hours preferably overnight**
½ of the cooked shiitake – green onion mixture
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp chickpea miso paste
1 Tbsp coconut nectar or maple syrup
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

TO SERVE:

Chili flakes
Black sesame seeds

Instructions

PASTA:
Cook pasta according to instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining it. This is a great trick; the starchy water will add a beautiful silkiness to the sauce.
In a large non-stick pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add green onions, garlic, chili flakes and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add shiitake mushrooms and a big pinch of sea salt and cook for about 5 – 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and golden. If the mushrooms start sticking to the bottom of the pan, add 1 – 2 Tbsp of water and stir.
Once cooked, turn off the heat and set aside.
SAUCE:
Place half of the cooked shiitake – green onion mixture in a high-speed blender. Leave the remaining half in the pan.
Drain and rinse the cashews.
Add water, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, coconut nectar, soy sauce and balsamic to the blender.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
PASTA:
Pour the sauce into the pan with the remaining mushrooms and warm over medium heat.
Add the cooked pasta and stir for a minute or two. If the sauce is too thick, add some of that reserved cooking pasta water, 1 – 2 Tbsp at a time, until smooth and silky (you won’t need the whole cup, just a little bit). Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately and top with more chili flakes and black sesame seeds.
Enjoy!

Notes

*Shiitake stems can be a bit tough, so I like to remove and discard the stems.
**Soaking nuts overnight makes them a whole lot healthier (you can read more about it here). But if you are hungry and want to make this tasty treat right now, soak the cashews in boiling water for 20 - 30 minutes. This will soften them quickly.

Gaby

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