Creamy Mushroom & Kale Pasta (video)

Hiya Gorgeous!

The cold, winter nights have arrived where I live (brrr!), and I don’t know about you, but all I want to do is curl up and enjoy some cozy deliciousness by the fire. Good food, a great book and a whole lotta Netflix!

Many of us will be spending more time in our homes this season, craving the comfort of warmth and full-flavored nourishment. With that in mind, winter is the perfect time to hibernate and experiment in the kitchen—to fill our tummies with hearty plant-based goodness and love.

So today I’m excited to share our latest and greatest Test Kitchen Tuesday creation:

Creamy Mushroom & Kale Pasta.

This recipe is so frickin’ out-of-this-world yummy! It’s the perfect dish to make and share.

As with all our Test Kitchen Tuesday recipes, it’s easy to make and comes with a video tutorial to guide you along the way.

Hit play below to see just how easy it is to whip up this super yummy pasta. Without further ado, let’s make some creamy awesomeness together!

Creamy Mushroom & Kale Pasta

Serves 3-4

Creamy Mushroom Sauce:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (about 8 oz)
½ cup cashews, soaked overnight and drained
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon truffle oil (optional)

Pasta:
8 oz whole wheat or gluten-free pasta (such as shells, penne or rotini)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 small (or ½ large) yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 tightly packed cups kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons tamari

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the 1 ½ cups chopped cremini mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. In a high-speed blender, add soaked cashews, cooked mushrooms, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and truffle oil (if using). Blend until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

3. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

4. While pasta is cooking, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in your large saucepan. Add mushrooms and onion and saute until mushrooms are tender and onions are translucent about 5 minutes. Add garlic, kale, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and tamari, and saute an additional 3 minutes, or until kale is wilted and tender.

5. Pour creamy mushroom sauce into kale mushroom mixture and heat over low, or until heated through and sauce is slightly thickened.

6. Add drained, hot pasta to saucepan and gently stir to combine, or until pasta is coated with creamy mushroom sauce. Serve immediately.

And I’d love to see your pasta!

Post your pics on Instagram or Facebook with #testkitchentuesday and tag me at @crazysexykris. I’ll be sharing my favorite snapshots with our spectacular community!

And finally, a very special thanks to our talented Chef Lauren and the rest of the test kitchen crew for helping whip up the magic!

Your turn: What’s your favorite hearty dish or foods for the cold winter months? I’d love to know what you’re making at home!

Peace and non-dairy creamy pasta,