Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pasta

Photo: Down to Earth Recipes
Creamy, decadent and delicious – this vegan dish will have even your most carnivorous friends asking for seconds and thirds!
Yield
6-8 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 small head garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil + more if needed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 Tablespoon mirin + 1 Tablespoon
  • ½ cup vegan butter, softened
  • 2-3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (12.3-ounce) package firm silken tofu
  • 8 ounces linguini or spaghetti
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup peas
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450°.
  2. Cut the top off garlic head. Drizzle with olive oil and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Once baked, set aside until cool enough to touch and remove cloves by squeezing them out.
  3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and 1 Tablespoon mirin and saute for 7-8 minutes or until softened and mirin has reduced. After onions have cooked, deglaze the pan with 1 Tablespoon mirin and remove from heat. Set aside ¼ cup of onions.
  4. In a food processor, combine vegan butter, nutritional yeast, seasonings, and silken tofu. Process until combined well. Add in roasted garlic and remaining sauteed onions. Process until combined.
  5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining pasta, reserve a ¼ cup of the pasta water.
  6. Transfer sauce into the same saucepan used to cook the onions. Heat over medium heat and stir frequently.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and reserved pasta water until a smooth paste forms. Add more water if needed.
  8. Slowly whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. This will help thicken sauce. The sauce should become creamier and thicker as it heat. Add in reserved sauteed onions, peas, and spinach. Mix together until warmed – about 3-5 minutes. Add pasta and fold into sauce until coated well. Serve and enjoy!