New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up! Subscribe today.
This lighter take on the comforting classic dish can be prepared in 30 minutes on your stovetop, making it a perfect weeknight dinner. It swaps out the heavy cream for nutrient-dense ingredients, without sacrificing flavor: cashews and tahini are blended to create a creamy plant-based sauce, while the addition of nutritional yeast and garlic gives it a cheesy feel. The sauce is also great for mac and cheese or drizzled over roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
- 8 oz dry whole-grain fettuccine pasta
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
- ½ tsp salt and pepper
- 500 grams (roughly one pound) sliced cremini mushrooms
- 5 oz baby spinach
For the cashew sauce
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. each sea salt and ground black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Basil leaves, optional garnish
Preparation
1. In a pot of boiling water, prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
2. In a large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper; cook until browned and cooked through, 8 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add remaining oil and onions; cook for 5 mins until soft. Add mushrooms and remaining salt and pepper; cook an additional 10 minutes. Stir in spinach.
3. Prepare sauce: To a food processor, add cashews, garlic, almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper; process until smooth.
4. Pour sauce over pasta. Add mushroom mixture and chicken. Heat over medium-low heat until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve with pepper flakes and garnish with basil leaves if desired.
Make Ahead: The cashew sauce can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days.