Creamy Garlic Mushroom and Bacon Pasta

The perfect creamy dairy free cashew sauce that is so flavorful and delicious. I love this pasta so much with spinach and bacon, but it can easily be veganized by skipping the bacon.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

• 3/4 cups raw cashews

• 1 cup almond milk

• 3-4 garlic cloves

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning

• Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta:

• 1 bag GF spaghetti

• 6-7 pieces crumbled cooked bacon

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 16 oz chopped cremini mushrooms

• 3 cups spinach

Optional toppings:

• lemon zest

• extra nutritional yeast

• red pepper flakes

Method:

1. Soak the cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes or longer.

2. Cook the pasta according to the packaged directions. When it’s almost done use a heat proof cup to save about 1/3 cup pasta water.

3. Add the cashews and all the remaining “sauce” ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Cook the bacon by either baking it in the oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or frying in a pan on the stove, once finished cool and crumble the bacon.

5. Add the olive oil to a large deep dish pan on medium heat. Once hot add the mushrooms and cook until their liquid releases and they begin to brown. Add the spinach to the same pan and cook until it starts to wilt.

6. Add the pasta, sauce, and pasta water into the pan with the mushrooms and mix together. Taste and add salt/pepper as needed. Serve the pasta with the bacon on top. Add lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and red pepper flakes on top if desired and enjoy!