Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta Drizzled with Truffle Oil

Creamy vegan mushroom pasta with truffle oil – a rich, satisfying plant-based pasta made with a silky cashew cream and a touch of truffle oil for earthiness. It’s indulgent, comforting and simple to prepare (with a short cashew soak).

This creamy vegan mushroom pasta is one of my go-to dishes. It delivers deep, savory mushroom flavour, a luxuriously smooth sauce from blended cashews, and the heady aroma of truffle oil. It works equally well as an impressive dinner for guests or as a cosy, relaxed meal at home.

Preparation is straightforward and mostly hands-off, though the cashews do need a brief soak to blend into a truly creamy sauce.

What You Need

Cashews: Soaked cashews blended with water create the creamy base. If you’d prefer, substitute the cashews and 250ml water with about 300ml soy or oat cream.

Truffle oil: Adds an earthy, luxurious note. Use a truffle-flavoured oil you trust; start with less and add to taste.

White wine: Builds depth and brightness. Omit if avoiding alcohol, but it does enhance the sauce. Check wine labels if you require a vegan bottle.

Vegetable or mushroom stock: A stock cube dissolved in the blending water boosts umami; mushroom stock is particularly complementary.

Nutritional yeast: Lends a savory, slightly cheesy edge.

Thyme: Fresh thyme is preferred for aroma; dried works in a pinch.

Garlic & onion: Plenty of garlic pairs beautifully with mushrooms; a red onion or shallots add sweetness and color.

Mushrooms: Chestnut mushrooms are recommended for their flavor, but most varieties will work.

Pasta: Use your favorite shape—fusilli or linguine are great choices.

Are Truffles Vegan?

Fresh truffles are fungi and are vegan by definition, but harvesting often involves animals (dogs or pigs), which raises ethical concerns for some vegans. Many truffle oils, especially supermarket varieties, are made with synthetic truffle aroma compounds rather than actual truffle, making them an accessible vegan-friendly option. Always check the brand if this matters to you.

Make-Ahead & Storage

The dish is best served fresh, but you can prepare the mushroom-cashew sauce up to one day in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Leftovers keep for up to three days in the fridge—reheat gently and add a splash of pasta water or non-dairy milk if the sauce tightens.

What to Serve With It

Serve with simple green sides: sautéed sugar snap peas, steamed greens, or a crisp green salad. A glass of wine complements the meal nicely.

Top Tips

• Season generously. If the pasta tastes bland, it usually needs more salt.
• For best results, follow the ingredient list—each component contributes to the overall depth of flavour.
• Swapping cashews plus 250ml water for 300ml soy or oat cream is an easy dairy-free alternative.
• Reserve some pasta cooking water when you drain the pasta. The starchy water helps the sauce become silky and cling to the pasta; about two ladlefuls is usually enough.
• If you drain away the pasta water by mistake, thin the sauce with unsweetened non-dairy milk.
• Truffle oil intensity varies by brand; start with 2 Tbsp and adjust to taste—3 Tbsp is what I typically use.

Ingredients

• 80 g (heaped ½ cup) raw cashews
• 400 g (14 oz) pasta of choice (fusilli recommended)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 500 g (17 ½ oz) chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
• 120 ml (½ cup) white wine
• 250 ml (1 cup) water
• 1 vegetable or mushroom stock cube
• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2–3 Tbsp truffle oil (I use 3)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the cashews in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for at least 30 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving some cooking water.
3. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the chopped red onion and cook gently until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the sliced mushrooms, crushed garlic and thyme. Increase to medium heat and cook until the mushrooms are tender and their liquid has mostly evaporated.
5. Pour in the white wine and continue to cook, stirring, until the wine has evaporated.
6. Drain the soaked cashews. In a blender combine the cashews, 250ml water, the stock cube and nutritional yeast. Blend until completely smooth to form the cashew cream.
7. Stir the cashew cream into the pan with the mushrooms and mix in the truffle oil. Warm over low heat for a couple of minutes, adding reserved pasta water as needed (about 2 ladlefuls) to reach a silky, creamy consistency.
8. Season generously with salt and pepper, toss the sauce with the cooked pasta, and serve topped with chopped parsley if desired.

Notes

• You can replace the cashews plus 250ml water with 300ml soy or oat cream if preferred.
• If you lose the pasta water, thin the sauce with unsweetened non-dairy milk instead.
• Truffle oil strength varies—adjust the amount to taste.

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