Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Pasta (Vegan) - Wholly Tasteful (2024)

There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of spaghetti in my opinion. Though I absolutely love pasta and always have, I don’t eat it often, mostly because of high carb content. However, when I do have a serious pasta craving, I try to think up ways to make it lighter and nutritious. Usually this means replacing it with spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles and serving them with a classic meat sauce, shrimp or fresh tomato sauce.

Recently, I discovered chickpea and red lentil pasta and it was love at first taste. The texture is so close to the real thing and yet these noodles are made 100% with chickpeas or red lentils. That’s a true win-win in my book! My chickpea pasta obsession started with thisCreamy Veggie Chickpea Pasta Bakerecipe.

For this dish, I decided to combine chickpea spaghetti with spiralized zucchini and serve it with flavorful, cashew-based creamy sauce made with mushrooms, onions and garlic. The effect is a purely comforting pasta bowl that’s bursting with umami flavors.

How to make creamy zucchini mushroom pasta

STEP 1:Soak the cashews.Place the cashews in a small bowl or cup and cover with boiling water. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to soak, then drain.

STEP 2:Cook the pasta.In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 -2 tablespoons of salt and cook the pasta al dente according to packaging instructions. Drain the pasta reserving some cooking liquid (a cup or so) and set aside.

STEP 3:Spiralize the zucchini.Turn the zucchini into thin long noodles using a spiralizer (I usethis one from Amazon).

Variations, substitutions and special diets

My version of this dish is vegan and gluten-free but there are many ways you can make it your own, depending on your preferences and dietary restrictions. Here are some ideas:

• To make this dish low-carb, skip the pasta all together and use more zucchini noodles (4 instead of 2). You can also use low-carb pasta substitute such aspalm of hearts pasta.
• For a nut-free version, replace cashew cream with half and half. Just mix it with nutritional yeast and add to mushrooms and onions.
• If you don’t like or have nutritional yeast, you can replace it with vegan or regular grated parmesan cheese.
• No chickpea pasta? Just use regular white pasta and it will also be delicious, though less nutrient-dense.
• If you are a carnivore and like higher protein dishes, you can add some chopped cooked chicken breast to the sauce.

If you are looking for more easy pasta ideas, try this Tuna Pesto Pasta and this easy Pork Bolognese, too!

Storage and meal prep tips

This Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Pasta will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days. If you are meal prepping, divide the dish between a couple of smaller airtight glass containers and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, remove the lid and heat it up in the microwave for a minute or two. You can also transfer the pasta to a skillet and heat it up on the stove.

Other healthy comfort food ideas

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Spinach and Goat Cheese Skillet
Loaded Potato Cauliflower Soup
Creamy Veggie Chickpea Pasta with Feta Cheese
Mexican Inspired Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl with Tofu

If you try this Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Pastaand love them, or if you have any questions about this recipe please leave me a comment below!

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Meet the Author

Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.

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