This vegan sweet potato pasta sauce is a great way to get the creaminess of a classic alfredo sauce but in a lighter and vegan cheese sauce! The recipe is easy to make, dairy-free, gluten-free, and so healthy!
Healthy Vegan Cheese Pasta Sauce
This easy and creamy pasta sauce tastes absolutely delicious! I have already shared this recipe years ago. But because I love it so much, I have now updated the old post with new photos and a recipe video. The creamy pasta sauce is only made with sweet potatoes, cashews (coconut cream will do too), and some spices. That’s it! Actually, it’s the result of combining my favorite 3 vegan cheese sauce recipes – Vegan Mac and Cheese, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese and my Vegan Alfredo Pasta sauce.
Also, I opted to use sweet potatoes instead of using regular potatoes. Not only because I still had some left over from the Sweet Potato Gnocchi I made a while ago, but also because they have such a soft texture and such a delicious flavor with a delightful sweetness. And the best is, they’ll make your pasta sauce super creamy and yummy!
Creamy vegan sweet potato pasta sauce
If you’ve never tried to make a creamy sauce from sweet potatoes, it’s definitely time to give it a try. I‘m pretty sure you’ll love it! Not only the taste and creaminess are amazing but you’ll also love the simplicity. You only need 3 simple basic ingredients (sweet potatoes, cashews and veggie broth) and the rest is up to you! Feel free to add any add-ins and seasonings you like. I also like to add other veggies, such as pumpkin or squash, cauliflower, regular potatoes, carrots, etc. So just get creative and use whatever you have on hand.
How to make this quick and easy Pasta Sauce
As always, I recommend checking out this step-by-step instruction and the recipe video first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!
To make this vegan sweet potato pasta sauce, start with cooking the cashews and sweet potato until soft. You can also microwave your potato. Simply pierce the potato several times with a fork, then put it in the microwave and heat for about 7-10 minutes until fork-tender. However, if you’re not short on time, I recommend baking your sweet potato because it gets more flavorful when it’s oven roasted.
To save time I usually roast it ahead, for example in the morning or the day before, so it’s ready to use when I want to make the sauce. After baking the sweet potato you can start making the sauce immediately. Peel the sweet potato, add to a blender along with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have a blender, you can also use a simple immersion blender. But please take note that the stronger your blender is, the creamier the sauce gets. Anyway, I always use a high-speed blender, and I assure you that it makes the best and creamiest sauces, soups, smoothies, ice cream, etc. ever!
Can I make vegan cheese sauce without Cashews?
Yes! The classic vegan Alfredo sauce and vegan Mac and cheese sauce are usually made with cashews, however, here are no cashews required. I personally like the sauce best when it’s made with cashews. However, you can also substitute with coconut cream which makes the sauce creamy and delicious as well.
Actually, coconut cream is the solid part of coconut milk that you get after chilling a can of coconut milk untouched for at least 24 hours. However, if you don’t like the coconut flavor, you can just replace some of the vegetable broth with dairy-free cooking cream like oat or soy cuisine.
This creamy vegan sweet potato pasta sauce is:
- Vegan
- Plant-based
- Healthy
- Creamy
- Cheesy
- Flavorful
- Easy and quick to make
- So Delicious!
- Perfect for any dishes!
The perfect Vegan Cheese sauce for any meals
You can serve this sweet potato sauce with any hearty meals you like. It not only tastes delicious with pasta but also with veggies, potatoes, rice or other grains. It also makes a great vegan cheese sauce for snacks, such as Pizza, Burger, Burrito Samosas, Quesadillas, French Fries, Empanadas and much more! To me, the taste and color remind of vegan nacho cheese sauce. It’s so GOOD!
More easy Vegan Pasta Recipes to try
- Vegan Broccoli Mac and Cheese
- Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta
- Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
- Creamy Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Lentil Zucchini Lasagna
- Vegan Lentil Bolognese
- Creamy Vegan Lemon Pasta
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
- Lentil Mushroom Ragu
- Creamed Spinach Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
If you try this easy vegan sweet potato pasta sauce recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you share a photo of your delicious pasta dish on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your creations! Happy cooking! 🙂
Creamy Vegan Pasta Cheese Sauce
Author:Ingredients
- 1 (350 g) sweet potato approx. 12 oz
- ½ tbsp olive, canola or coconut oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves chopped
- ½ cup (75 g) cashews or cashew butter or sub coconut cream or dairy-free cooking cream, if nut-free*
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth or water to desired consistency
- 2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes optional
- 1 tsp paprika powder optional
- ¼ tsp turmeric optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional
To serve (optional)
- 12 oz (350 g) pasta gluten-free, if desired
- vegan parmesan
- chili flakes
- fresh herbs
Instructions
*Note: Feel free to check out the recipe video + step-by-step pictures above!
- Peel and dice the sweet potato and place in a pot with the cashews and vegetable broth (or water). Cover with water and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until soft.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions in a pot of salted water.
- While the pasta is boiling, heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, stir and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for one minute longer.
- Add the onions and garlic to a blender along with the soft sweet potato, cashews + cooking water, nutritional yeast, paprika powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add more water and seasonings as needed.
- Once the pasta is 'al dente', drain, and combine with the sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs, chili flakes and vegan parmesan cheese if you like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- You can fill the sauce into a sealed jar and store it in the fridge if you want to serve it later. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge, or you can freeze it for even longer.
- Please make sure to store leftover sauce apart from the pasta. Otherwise it gets sticky. It’s always best served with new cooked vegan pasta.
- For nut-free version, please read the text above!
- The nutritional information is calculated for 1 serving pasta sauce of 4.
- This recipe was firstly published at 12/03/2018.
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Great hearty, vegan meal!
Thank you! 🙂
This was so tasty! The mushrooms on top really made it a definite 10/10 both flavour and texture-wise! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this feedback, Disa. 🙂
I made this sauce today to add to my pasta for lunch and it turned out great. I did have to use more water to allow my blender to puree it and make it thinner, and used less onion, nutrition yeast and salt. I also used 1/8 tsp garlic powder instead of the cloves. Super tasty! Glad to have a healthy pasta sauce to add to my recipe binder that I can easily whip up that is something other than tomato sauce!
Hi Maria,
I am so glad you love this recipe! 🙂
Thanks for your great feedback!
xoxo, Bianca ❤
Really impressed with this recipe and the kids all love it too. I used mixed salted nuts instead o cashew nuts which worked well, and leeks, asparagus and carrot for the sauce as well as onions, garlic and spices. The sweet potato is very creamy and the kids like the nutty sweetness in the sauce.
So glad everyone loved this pasta! Thank you so much! 🙂
This recipe looks amazing, I’m so excited to try it already! Would love to know what herbs you added to the pasta
Hi Shira,
you can garnish the pasta with your favorite herbs.
I usually use what I have on hand! 🙂
Best,
Bianca
Hi there – so looking fwd to making this!! Can I sub the cashews for almond milk?
Hi Lauren,
you can substitute the cashews + water with almond milk, however, it won’t be as rich and creamy as with cashew cream. Also, take note that this will change the taste. Let me know if you give it a try! 😉
Question – if no cashews or cream of coconut on hand, any other suggestions to try ?
(Almonds, walnuts, coconut milk, just not the cream…)
Looks really good, Hoping to try this soon.
Thanks !9
Hi Betsy, you can substitute the cashews + water with coconut milk! 🙂
What about replacing it with Almond butter?
Yes, you can! 🙂
Hi, can I freeze any extra sauce?
Yes, sure! 🙂
For many months I’ve been trying out vegan pasta sauces. This is the first one that I can make without food I’m allergic to that actually tastes good and it’s delicious. Thanks for helping me keep enjoying pasta!
Hi Ashley, Thank you so much for your feedback! So glad to read that you enjoyed this vegan pasta sauce! Hope you’ll also love my other pasta recipes! Lots of love, Bianca <3
Hello Bianca, I made it again, this time with coconut creme instead of cashews, due to laziness, and it was great both times!
Hi Anna, so glad you enjoyed this simple pasta recipe! Thank you for your feedback! Lots of love, Bianca <3
Hello Bianca, I am making this right now and I know I am going to love it, but I was wonder where and when the water is added.
Thank you.
Hi Anna, when you blend all of the ingredients together (in step 6), then you can add the water until desired consistency. I recommend starting with less, and then you can add more as you wish! Hope you’ll like it! 🙂
Loved the recipe, it came out just as expected, very yummy texture in the sauce, but then I am really a big fan of pasta and sweet potatoes- it’s a match made in heaven
So glad that you liked this creamy pasta sauce too! Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
You’re most welcome, it tastes even better today hehe
So glad that you liked it the next day too! Thank you! 🙂
After months of searching I have managed to find out how to leave a message!!
Bianca’s recipes have changed our lives. We live in Spain (not hugely vegetarian) so finding recipes & ingredients was difficult. I have tried lots of her recipes, all incredible & so delicious.
This one is one of our favourites easy to make, filling & totally tasty!!
Many many thanks Bianca 😋
Awww, thank you so much for your kind message! So glad that you like my recipes! Sending much love! 🙂
Absolutely loved this one! It was so easy to follow and took little to no time. I’m a college student so these kind of recipes are total life savers! I paired the sauce with chickpea & turmeric noodles!
These noodles sound so good to me! Would love to try them too 😀 So glad that you liked the sauce! Thank you! 🙂
Omg this recipe was so simple to make. Super tasty even if you don’t add any other veggies to the pasta dish!!
Definitely recommend trying this one. I’ll be trying more of your recipes for sure!!!
So glad to hear that you liked it 🙂 And thank you <3
I simply love it. It’s my new favorite pasta sauce ❤️
Made it last night and it was so quick and easy.
Even my non-vegan friends loved it 😬
So glad to hear that! Thank you so much 🙂
Lovely dinner cooked beautifully by my daughter – thank you both!
Trying to figure out nutritional information for my diet…any help available please?
I’ve added the nutrition facts! 😊👍🏻
I made this last night with red lentil pasta and it was absolutely amazing! It’s such a quick, yet super yummy recipe. Thank you so much Bianca. I’ll certainly be trying out a lot more of your recipes (next up on the list is the sweet potato falafel, clearly a big SP lover) 🙂
So glad that you liked it! ?
Thank you.
If you love sweet potatoes, you should also try my sweet potato gnocchi or my sweet potato quesadillas ?
Lots of love,
Bianca <3
Made this last night! So delicious, thank goodness I have leftovers.
So glad that you liked it ?
Thank you ❤️
I just made this for my fiancé and he devoured it!! Sooo creamy and delicious, I’ll definitely be making this again! Thank you for the recipe <3
Hi Jessica,
So glad that you liked it! ?
Thank you for your comment.
Lots of love,
Bianca ❤️
This pasta sauce looks so rich and tasty! How amazing are sweet potatoes?! I love them so much. Great recipe my dear Bianca!
Hugs, Ela ❤️
Thank you so much, Ela!❤️
So glad that you like this recipe.
Lots of love,
Bianca ?