Cajun Linguine with Cashew Cream & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.
If you're like me and you love creamy pasta dishes, then I have a treat for you. The simplicity of garlic, cashew cream and gentle spices make this dish something you'll find yourself daydreaming about. Cashew cream is so simple to make and is the perfect, healthy alternative to those higher fat options such as coconut cream or dairy.I decided to change things up a little by adding roasted cherry tomatoes, which for me, add a burst of flavour which I love. This step is totally optional, however. If you don't like tomatoes or you need to exclude them from your diet, no problem, this dish is great with or without them.
Equipment
- Blender or stick blender
Ingredients
- PASTA INGREDIENTS
- 250 g Linguine (or your preferred version of pasta, spiralised zucchini is also an option here)
- 2 l salted water
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp nuttelex
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 small onion chopped extra fine
- 1 med red capsicum chopped fine
- 250 g ripe cherry tomatoes oven roasted
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt optional
- 1 med red chilli pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- CASHEW CREAM INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight in water (for a faster result, cover with boiling water and soak for at least 10 min)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- EXTRAS
- 3/4 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- CASHEW CREAM
- Soak 1 cup of raw cashews overnight or if you're short of time, cover with boiling water for at least 10 minutes.Place drained cashews in a blender, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Blend on high until smooth. Add more water if necessary to get a consistency similar to cooking cream.
- CHERRY TOMATOES
- Place the cherry tomatoes into a baking dish, sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and put in a hot oven until the skins start to split. (salt is optional but will help to bring out the sweetness in the tomatoes). Remove from oven and set aside.
- PASTA
- Boil 2 litres of water, add 2 tsp olive oil and 1 tbsp salt. Add the linguine to the water, return to the boil and cook for approx 12 minutes. Strain the pasta and set aside.
- THE SAUCE
- In a hot pan, heat up 2 tbsp nuttelex and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 min (careful not to overcook). Then add the onion, reduce heat to medium and sauté until golden. Add chilli & capsicum and sauté for 1 min.
- Then add the Cajun spice, tomato paste, smoked paprika & salt and sauté for a couple more minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, nutritional yeast & cashew cream and stir through, simmering for around 4-5 min (if too thick add small amounts of water).Finally add the pepper & linguine, and heat through. If you're using spiralised zucchini you could simply add this here.
- Serve with chopped parsley and warm, crusty sourdough rolls.
Notes
Tip: If reheating the next day you may need to add a little plant milk to get the right consistency.
