This vegan cacio e pepe recipe is my go-to as of late! It’s wildly creamy, super flavorful and truly tastes like the real deal. Yet there is absolutely no dairy in this vegan recipe! It took me a while to figure out how to make a vegan cacio e pepe sauce but I’m so glad I stuck with it.
What is cacio e pepe?
Cacio e pepe is a creamy cheese sauce made from exactly what it translates to: cheese and pepper. This particular recipe for vegan cacio e pepe however required no cheese as it’s completely dairy-free. Of course, I could have used a vegan parmesan but I have yet to find one that melts perfectly and for a sauce like cacio e pepe, that is a must. This specific recipe gets its cheesy flavor from the nutritional yeast and its creamy texture from the cashew butter. The miso paste helps add umami which gives this dish a super savory flavor profile. I also used a vegan butter in this dish to help give it that rich flavor and love both this option and this one.
How do I make homemade garlic breadcrumbs?
For an added bonus, I included the most delicious garlic breadcrumbs on the top of this pasta which take just 5 minutes make. I simply took a slice of bread and put it in the food processor until it was all crumbled up. This yielded about 1 cup of breadcrumbs so you might need two slices if your bread is thinner. Next I added 1 large clove of garlic to the food processor and minced that as well. In a medium skillet, I added 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and let that heat up for about 1 minute over medium heat. Then I added in the garlic and let that cook 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant and starting to turn a golden brown color. Lastly, I added in the breadcrumbs and let them cook for about 3 minutes or until they became a golden brown color as well.
Vegan Cacio e Pepe Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 12-16 oz spaghetti (or other pasta shape; the less you use, the thicker/creamier the sauce will be)
- ¼ cup EVOO
- black pepper, to taste
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¾ cup pasta water
- pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp vegan butter
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to pasta instructions.
- In medium mixing bowl, combine nutritional yeast, cashew butter and miso paste. Stir until fully combined.
- In medium skillet, add EVOO, pepper (to taste), and lemon. Cook over medium heat for roughly 3 minutes. Add in vegan butter, salt, pasta water and mixture in the medium skillet but turn off and remove from heat. Stir until fully combined.
- Add the noodles, drained, into the skillet and toss until fully coated. Add ¼ cup more water to thin if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- medium mixing bowl
- rubber spatula
- medium skillet
- measuring cup
- strainer
- mixing spoon
PIN FOR LATER:
