This week’s recipe as part of the New Year, New You series combines healthy ingredients into into a delightful meal that everyone can enjoy.
Vegan cheese has several plant-based ingredient options, such as vegetable oils, peas, soy, and nuts. The base for this recipe is cashews. The cashew offers a sweet and earthy flavour when incorporated into a sauce.
Spaghetti squash is a healthier alternative to traditional pasta and adds structure to this dish. Where it is deficient in flavour and nutrients, the cashew in the vegan cheese sauce offers a plethora of vitamins and minerals.
Cherry tomatoes complement this meal, providing balance to the creamy texture—experiment with other zesty vegetables, like sweet peppers.
Vegan Alfredo on spaghetti squash recipe
PREPARATION TIME 1 hr YIELDS 5 servings
Equipment
Baking pan, blender, medium saucepan, heat-resistant spatula, measuring cup, fork, paring knife, cutting board, butcher knife, spoon, large mixing bowl
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
1 ½ cups white onion, diced
1 ½ cups vegetable broth, divided
1 tsp salt
6 large garlic cloves, minced
⅔ cup cashews
2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Freshly ground pepper (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Pour an inch of water into the baking pan. Using the butcher’s knife, cut the gourd in half widthwise on the cutting board. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous strands. Turn both gourd halves over, flesh side down, into the pan of water. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove each half from the pan and let cool flesh side up.
Step 2
Over medium-high heat, add the onion and 1 cup of broth to the saucepan. Cook the mixture for approximately 10 minutes, then introduce the garlic for a few more minutes until the liquid has evaporated – stirring frequently.
Step 3
Add the cooked vegetables, remaining broth, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and cashews in the blender—pulse on high for approximately 1 minute or until the mixture looks completely smooth on the sides. Add salt or pepper for increased flavour. Additional lemon added will neutralize the nutty taste. Incorporate more yeast if the sauce needs thickening or if the broth is too thick.
Step 4
When the baked squash is cool enough to handle, stick the fork straight down through the top of the fleshy side and gently pull toward the centre. Continue pulling the flesh away from both halves all the way around until reaching the skin.
Step 5
Place the spaghetti strands into the mixing bowl. When all of the strands are extracted, gently toss them with sauce. Repeat with the tomatoes. Do not overmix. Freshly ground pepper and chopped parsley is an optional garnish.