Another Italian classic recipe ticked off the “to be veganised” list – this time it’s Alfredo pomodoro pollo! Alfredo sauce differs from a carbonara sauce in that there’s no egg in it, so no Kala Namak needed. This recipe uses cashews, with few other ingredients to create the creamy buttery sauce for the pasta.
Finding the right chicken substitute can be tricky, but there are a number around to chose from. It doesn’t want to be too chewy, or in too big a pieces. Plant pioneers “no chicken pieces” would work well if they are cooked and then cut into strips. The baby plum tomatoes work well in bringing some colour into the dish.
Making the sauce is fairly easy, it’s just a question of soaking the cashew nuts. You can do this in hot water if your in a hurry or for a few hours in cold water. Then it’s put all the other ingredients into a high speed blender and giving it a really good long blend. I use a Nutribullet, but there are loads of high speed blenders on the market – any will do.
Choosing the right pasta is important. Angel hair pasta won’t work as it’s just too fine, but spaghetti, tagliatelle, or fettuchni are good – but wholewheat! Cook it so it’s just a tiny bit al dente. But not as much al dente as you might with other dishes.
Make sure to have enough veggies to go with the sauce and pasta. You can use other veggies, mushrooms would work well with this as would courgettes & very small brocolli florettes. Mix in the sauteed veggies and “chicken”, pour on the sauce and give it a good stir before serving. I like Spaghetti alfredo pomodoro pollo hot, and 60 seconds in the microwave will get it nicely piping hot. Add some vegan parmesan and black pepper on top to finish the dish off.
Spaghetti alfredo pomodoro pollo
Equipment
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 pasta pot or large pan
- 1 Actifry rotary air fryer not essential, but makes it a lot easier....
Ingredients
The alfredo sauce
- 200 g onion
- 100 G cashews
- 5 whole cloves of garlic (20g)
- 20 g lemon juice
- 20 g nutritional yeast maybe 25g - but to taste.
- 1 whole low salt veg stock cube possibly 1 1/2
- 5 g olive oil
- 1/2 tsp low sodium salt
- 1 1/2 teasp ground black pepper
- 1/4 teasp turmeric just to add a slightly creamy colour
the pasta, "chicken" and veg part
- 250 g vegan chicken
- 250 g baby plum tomatoes
- 250 g spaghetti, tagliatell or fetuchini whichever you prefer.
Instructions
- soak the cashews in boiling water 30 minutes before you need them.
- put some water on for the pasta
- chop and sautee the onion and garlic in the actifry for around 12 to 15 minutes - or in a wok
- put the cooked onions in the nutribullet along with the drained cashews and all the other ingredients.
- Blend well until very smoothe - may take 2 or 3 minutes even in the nutribullet.
- cook the chicken pieces and the halved baby plum tomatoes either together or in batches.
- Put the pasta on to cook - 11 or 12 minutes depending on the pasta - it doesn't want to be too al dente or the sauce doesn't work so well.
- drain the pasta when cooked, and then add in the cooked veggies and chicken and mix well
- pour on the sauce
- and mix well again.
- serve with parmesan and black pepper
