The last recipe I made with Old Bay – Maryland Style Cream of Potato Soup – was a hit! So I wanted to make something just as creamy and delicious that would complement the Maryland-based seasoning.

I pulled inspiration from a creamy Lemon Garlic Alfredo Pasta I made not too long ago. The cheesy Alfredo sauce is made from a blend of cashews, white onions, garlic, white wine, nutritional yeast and lemon juice.

Toss it with pasta noodles (I like Rigatoni for this recipe) and sautéed veggies like asparagus, then garnish with Old Bay Seasoning and you’ve got yourself a healthy comfort dish. Get the recipe below…

Ingredients (4 servings)

Asparagus

• 2 bunches fresh asparagus (remove ends & cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Cashew Alfredo

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 3 cups water (divided)
• 2 tsp. vegan chicken base
• 2 white onions (chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp. white cooking wine
• Old Bay Seasoning (optional)

Pasta

• 8 oz. dry whole wheat pasta (I used Rigatoni)

Directions

Asparagus

1. Add the oil and asparagus to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes until tender.
2. Dish the asparagus onto a clean plate. Set aside.

Cashew Alfredo Sauce & Pasta

1. Place the cashews in a microwave safe glass bowl. Then bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Once boiling, remove the water from the stove. Carefully pour about 1 cup of water over the cashews. Let sit for 10 minutes allowing the cashews to soften.
2. Stir the vegan chicken base to the remaining 2 cups water.
3. Meanwhile, place the same skillet used to sauté the asparagus over medium-high heat. Add the onions and about 1/3 of the water to the skillet. Sauté the onions until translucent.
4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. Set aside.
5. At this time, it’s best to begin cooking your pasta. Follow the directions on the box of pasta to do so.*
6. Meanwhile, drain the water from the cashews. Add the cashews, sautéed onions and garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast and white cooking wine to a high speed blender.
7. Begin to blend the ingredients and slowly add the remaining broth to make the Alfredo sauce.**
8. When the sauce has reached a desired consistency and taste, add it back to the skillet over medium heat. Stir in the asparagus, followed by the cooked pasta noodles. Combine well and cook for 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens and the meal is heated through.
9. Optional: Sprinkle with Old Bay to serve. Enjoy!

*Drain the water from the pot of pasta noodles before mixing with the prepared Alfredo sauce. 

** You may not need to use all the broth to make the Alfredo. Be sure to taste the sauce and add more salt, pepper or nutritional yeast as needed.

If you prefer a non-creamy sauce with your pasta, checkout this Tuscan Crispy Chickpea Pasta recipe!

If you are following the SBH Plant-Based 21-day Meal Plan, one serving of Asparagus Rigatoni Alfredo is approximately:

• 1.5 serving Vegetables
• 1.5 servings Healthy Fats
• 2.25 servings Grains

Note: Strong.Bold.Healthy does not promote calorie counting. However, being that some may use calorie counting as a tool to help maintain a healthy weight, 1 serving of Asparagus Rigatoni Alfredo is approximately 418 calories. Nutritional information is a rough estimate.