10ounces280 g cremini mushrooms, cut in half or fourths
8ounces225 g dry rotini pasta*; about 4 cups
1tablespoonlemon juice
1/4– 1/2 teaspoon kosher saltoptional
2tablespoonschopped parsleyfor serving
Instructions
Prep: preheat the oven to 425F and set a 9×13″ casserole pan aside.
Dump: add the cashew butter and wine to the casserole dish - whisk vigorously until the cashew butter emulsifies with the wine to form a creamy "broth". (It is easier to dissolve the cashew butter with a small amount of liquid than all of it at once). Then, add the "beef"-flavored broth, nutritional yeast, and black pepper; whisk well. Add the pasta, mushrooms, and onion, to the casserole dish and mix until evenly distributed. Use a spatula or spoon to press everything down evenly into the sauce, especially the pasta noodles.
Bake: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil (or parchment paper, followed by aluminum foil) and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and and stir in the lemon juice; add salt to taste, if desired. If the pasta sauce appears too runny for your taste, let the dish sit for 5 or so minutes; it will thicken as it cools.
Serve warm; leftovers can be stored in the fridge and are best eaten within 5 days
Notes
Pasta: I used a gluten-free brown rice rotini pasta, but any other variety of gluten-free or gluten-full pasta will work. Please note that shorter noodles work better than longer shapes, and bean-based pastas tend to break up more during cooking.
Cashew Butter: If you cannot find cashew butter near you, you can make your own at home or substitute it with 1/2 cup of plant-based cream cheese or sour cream. If you do either of these, only add lemon juice to taste. Alternatively, you can also combine 2/3 cup of soaked cashews with the vegetable broth, wine, nutritional yeast, and black pepper in a blender - blend until smooth, then add to the casserole dish and follow the recipe as written.
Want it meatier? Add up to 16 oz of plant-based ground beef to the recipe! Sauté the grounds in the pot with the onion. Once they are cooked, add in the remaining ingredients and proceed with the recipe as written.