Vegan Pasta Bake with White Wine Sauce

Is there anything better than a healthy, creamy pasta bake? This vegan pasta bake combines roasted garlic, a cashew cream-based white wine sauce, and tender sautéed mushrooms and spinach for a comforting, flavorful dish. It works great for a weeknight dinner, a casual dinner party, or any time you want a cozy plant-based meal that feels indulgent but still nourishing.

Vegan Pasta Ingredients

Don’t be intimidated by the word “vegan.” The ingredient list is straightforward, and you only need a blender or food processor, a casserole or baking dish, and basic kitchen tools. Below are the main ingredients you’ll use to build the sauce, roast the vegetables, and assemble the bake.

• Garlic (a head, roasted)
• Roasted, salted cashews
• Dry white wine (use a dry chardonnay or similar)
• White onion
• Vegetable broth or water
• Nutritional yeast
• Balsamic vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt
• Mushrooms
• Fresh spinach
• Olive oil
• Fusilli or other pasta

We Love Vegan Cheese Sauce

On Team Fit Foodie we have a soft spot for creamy vegan cheese-style sauces. There are many ways to create a rich, savory sauce without dairy: pureed white beans, thick vegetable purees, or nut-based creams. For this recipe, cashews supply the creamy base that mimics the texture and mouthfeel of a traditional cheese sauce.

All About the Cashews

Cashews are a popular choice for vegan cream sauces because when soaked and blended they become luxuriously smooth. You can use raw or roasted cashews; roasted cashews add a slightly smoky or sweet note depending on the roast, while raw cashews produce a more neutral flavor. Either way, the texture of the sauce will be creamy and satisfying.

How to Make the Pasta Bake

This pasta bake is approachable: roast a head of garlic, reduce the wine with onion, soak your cashews, blend the sauce, roast the vegetables, parboil the pasta, assemble in a casserole dish, and bake until hot and melded. The finished result tastes like it came from a cozy corner Italian café.

You’ll Love This White Wine Pasta Sauce

The sauce comes together once everything is prepared: the cashews must be soaked, the garlic roasted, and the wine reduced with onion. Place all components in a high-speed blender and puree until silky. If needed, thin with a little broth, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Soak Cashews

Soak cashews either overnight in room-temperature water or use a quick method: pour boiling water over the cashews and let them sit for at least 30 minutes. Soft cashews blend into the creamiest base.

Roast Garlic

Roasting garlic yields the sweetest, roundest flavor for the sauce. Preheat the oven to 400ºF, trim the top off a head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30 minutes. Squeeze the softened cloves from their skins when cool enough to handle.

Reduce White Wine

Simmer the white wine with chopped white onion until the liquid reduces by about half. This concentrates the flavor and mellows the alcohol, creating a flavorful base to blend with the cashews and roasted garlic.

Get Your Noodle On

Use any shape of pasta you like; fusilli is ideal because its twists hold sauce well. Boil the pasta until it’s slightly firmer than al dente — it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.

Choose Veggies

This version features mushrooms and spinach because the mushrooms contribute a deep umami note that pairs beautifully with the creamy sauce. Feel free to swap in peppers, kale, zucchini, or any vegetables you prefer. Toss the chopped vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper, spread in a greased casserole dish, and roast at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

Bake

Combine the cooked pasta, roasted vegetables, and white wine cashew sauce in the casserole dish. Make sure the pasta and vegetables are well coated, then bake for 15–20 minutes at 350–400ºF (depending on your oven) until the dish is heated through and the flavors have melded.

Vegan Pasta Q&A

Here are answers to a few common questions about ingredients and storage.

Is white wine vegan? Some wines are filtered with animal-derived fining agents and some are not. If you need strictly vegan wine, check the label or consult the producer to confirm. Many producers now use vegan-friendly filtration methods.

Can vegans eat pasta? Yes, many pastas are vegan, but some specialty or fresh pastas contain eggs. Always check the ingredient list on packaged pasta if you need to avoid animal products.

Roasted or raw cashews? Both work. Raw cashews give a neutral, creamy base; roasted cashews add a slightly deeper, toasty flavor. Texture remains creamy either way after soaking and blending.

Can you reheat or freeze this pasta bake? Yes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheat in the oven or microwave. To freeze, bake the casserole, cool completely, cover tightly with foil and plastic wrap, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven at 350ºF until hot.

Recipe

Prep: 45 minutes • Cook: 15 minutes • Total: 1 hour • Servings: 6

Ingredients

White Wine Pasta Sauce

• 1 cup roasted, salted cashews
• 1 head roasted garlic (see method)
• 1 cup dry white wine (reduced)
• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)

Pasta Bake

• 8 oz white mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 oz fusilli or your favorite pasta

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Place the cashews in a bowl. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and pour over the cashews; let soak at least 15 minutes (or longer if possible).
3. Trim the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, and roast at 400ºF for 30 minutes. When cool, squeeze the roasted cloves from their skins.
4. Prepare the vegetables: spray or oil a large baking dish, add chopped mushrooms and packed spinach, drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil, season with salt, and roast at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
5. While the vegetables roast, boil the pasta in a large pot. Cook for 3–4 minutes so the pasta is slightly firmer than al dente; it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
6. Make the wine reduction: combine 1 cup dry white wine and 1/2 chopped white onion in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
7. Transfer the reduced wine and onions to a blender. Add the soaked cashews (drained), roasted garlic cloves, vegetable broth or water, nutritional yeast, balsamic and apple cider vinegars, and salt. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds. If the sauce is too thick, add broth a teaspoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.
8. Combine the cooked pasta, roasted vegetables, and white wine cashew sauce in the casserole dish. Mix until the pasta and vegetables are evenly coated with sauce.
9. Bake the assembled dish at 350–375ºF for 15–20 minutes, until heated through and bubbling at the edges. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

• Nutrition information is calculated for 6 servings and should be used as an approximation.
• Feel free to swap vegetables: bell peppers, zucchini, or kale work well. Roast times may vary slightly.
• If you prefer a tangier sauce, increase the apple cider vinegar by 1/2 teaspoon. Adjust salt to taste.

Nutrition (per serving, approximate)

Calories: 333 kcal • Carbohydrates: 41 g • Protein: 12 g • Fat: 11 g • Fiber: 14 g • Sugar: 4 g

More Vegan Recipes

• Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Chili
• Butternut Squash Buddha Bowls
• Creamy Vegan Pasta with Tomatoes and Kale
• Coconut Chocolate Energy Balls
• Mediterranean Vegan Buddha Bowl
• Vegan Sweet Potato Tacos
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats

If you try this recipe, tag your photos and share your tweaks—it’s fun to see the different variations people create from the same basic idea. Enjoy!