What’s your favourite comfort food? Mine is, and will always be, my Dad’s macaroni cheese. I’m a pasta fiend and could happily have eaten it every day! And even though I can never have it quite like I used to as a child, gluten-free pasta and clever dairy-free substitutes mean I never have to miss out on the big warm hug of a creamy pasta dish.
For these wintry nights, this velvety sauce made from sweet potatoes and cashews is the perfect foil for roasted vegetables and wilted spinach. It’s really nutrient-rich and incredibly satisfying if you’ve had a long cold day and just want to huddle up indoors by the fire (or radiator!).
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Sweet Potato Sauce
- 4 medium sweet potatoes/around 700g, peeled and chopped into chunks
- ½ cup/75g cashews, soaked overnight (or boiled for 15 minutes) and then drained
- ¼ cup/10g nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cups/375ml milk of choice
Pasta and Veg
- 300g brown rice spaghetti (or whichever gluten-free or non gluten-free pasta you like or need)
- 1 bag/200g spinach
- 250g mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
- 450g cherry/baby plum tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Place the mushrooms and tomatoes on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are collapsing and the mushrooms are well browned.
- Meanwhile, place the sweet potato chunks in a steamer and cook for 15 minutes until soft and falling apart.
- Cook the pasta to your liking and set aside when drained.
- When the sweet potato is ready, place in a blender with the remaining sauce ingredients and blend until thick and smooth.
- Place the spinach in the bottom a large saucepan, then add the pasta and lastly, the sweet potato sauce. Stir until well-combined. The spinach should wilt from the heat of the pasta and sauce but you can also warm it on a low heat if needed.
- Add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the pasta and serve. I also like to add chilli flakes sometimes for a bit of kick!
