Carrot Pasta Sauce

5 from 1 vote

This is not mac n cheese but totally feels like it. The sauce is made from carrots and cashew nuts and is a really creamy, flavourful sauce that tastes 'cheesy' without any cheese. It's brilliant. Kids and adults will fall for it!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Hindu, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Servings: kids

Author: Richa

Ingredients

2 tsp Olive oil divided
2 Garlic cloves chopped
1 large Carrot grated approx 1 cup
6-7 Cashews
3/4 cup Water
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Cream
100 grams dry Pasta any short pasta like fusilli, penne, macaroni

Instructions

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add garlic and carrots. Saute for a minute. Add cashews and water. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the flame to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes till the carrot and cashews are tender.
Cool completely and blend to a smooth paste.
While the carrots are cooking, boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and add the carrot sauce, along with oregano and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add cream.
Mix well and add pasta. Toss pasta in sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes to warm the pasta through. Add a little water if required to adjust the consistency of the sauce. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

This is a naturally vegan pasta sauce if you skip the cream and is gluten free. I didn't design it that way but it totally works if you follow certain dietary restrictions
Carrots can be prepared quickly in a grater or food processor. It doesn't matter how they are cut, but just make sure its small so they cook fast. Big chunks will take much longer to cook
Carrot should be completely tender for a really smooth sauce
Cream is optional but I love adding a little. It makes the sauce tastier and fat is good for kids in general
Other ingredients you can add are bacon, cheese, tomato, zucchini etc to the sauce

Nutrition