White/alfredo Sauce.
Start with pasta. Boil water and add pasta. In another pan, saute veggies if using any in 1-2 teaspoons oil. Take a sauce jar out, add coconut milk. Mix and add to pan. Add cooked pasta. Mix and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes. Done.
It cannot get any easier:)
I made a couple of combinations of sauces with different nuts, spices, herbs. Here are a few for you to try out. Ranch, Spicy Sriracha, Mac and cheese, Chipotle and more.
Let me know your favorite combination:) If the spices and nutritional yeast used are fresh, the jars stored ina cool and dry place keep fresh for months. You can also make a larger batch and refrigerate a big jar for freshness. Use 1/3 cup of the mixture with 1-1.5 cups of non dairy milk to serve 2.
More Pasta recipes here.
Mac and cheese sauce and ranch sauce mix. You can grind everything or just mix and keep.
Give me a bowlful of some creamy pasta.
Quinoa shells in garlic Jalapeno sauce.
Tag them jars, write instructions and store, or gift to a friend or a bake sale:)
Pasta Sauces in a Jar
Free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy. Can be made gluten-free, nut-free, refined oil-free.
Enough sauce for 3 cups cooked pasta. or 2 cups pasta and a cup of veggies.
White Sauce in a jar
Jar Ingredients:
1/4 cup ground raw Cashew
2 Tablespoons Flour(I used wheat, use any neutral flour or cashew flour)
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or omit if you want to add it later to taste)
a generous pinch of black pepper
Method:
Blend the dry mix with 1 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk in a blender, and optionally a Tablespoon of Extra virgin olive oil.
Saute veggies and greens in a pan.
Add blended sauce to pan on low-medium heat. Add cooked pasta and mix well.
Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes to bring the sauce to a boil.
Mix again, adjust salt, top with fresh herbs if using, switch off heat and let sit for another 3-4 minutes before serving.
The method to use the blended sauce with pasta is same for all dry mixes unless specified differently under method.
Mac and cheese in a jar
Jar Ingredients:
White sauce ingredients
1/2 teaspoon tomato powder
Method:
Blend the dry mix with 1 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk, a Tablespoon of Extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoon of soy sauce/coconut aminos and a teaspoon apple cider vinegar. (or use a tsp chickpea miso instead of soy sauce+vinegar).
Blend in half a tomato if you didnt add tomato powder in the dry.
Saute or blanch broccoli and other veggies. Add to pan with sauce, add cooked elbows pasta. Cook covered on low for 3-4 minutes. Mix, top with bread crumbs and let sit for another 4 minutes before serving.
Chipotle Cheese sauce in a jar
Jar Ingredients:
White Sauce ingredients
3/4 teaspoon Chipotle pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
Method:
Blend the dry mix with 1 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk, a Tablespoon of Extra virgin olive oil, half a tomato, 2 Tablespoon chopped red bell pepper and use.
Ranch sauce in a jar
Ingredients:
White sauce ingredients
1 teaspoon ranch seasoning(Mix equal quantities of dry/powdered Garlic, Onion, Dill, Parsley, Chives)
Method:
Blend the dry mix with 1 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk, a Tablespoon of Extra virgin olive oil, a teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and use.
Spicy Sriracha sesame cream sauce in a jar. My current favorite
Ingredients:
1/4 cup ground raw Cashew(more for thicker sauce)
1 Tablespoon white sesame seeds, grind with the cashews
2 Tablespoons Flour, or omit
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon smoked Paprika or to taste
Method:
Blend the dry ingredients with 2+ teaspoons Sriracha sauce and a cup coconut milk in a blender and use.
Sprinkle a 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar on the cooked sauce for another amazing variation.
Doritos Spice Sauce – adapted from Penne and broccoli with Doritos cream sauce.
Ingredients:
White sauce ingredients
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon Paprika(to taste/color)
1/8 teaspoon black salt/Kala namak
Method:
Blend dry ingredients, a cup of coconut milk, a garlic clove and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and use.
Garlic Jalapeno sauce in a jar.
Blend White sauce ingredients with coconut milk, 2 cloves of garlic, half a jalapeno, a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Nacho Cheese sauce in a jar. adapted from Nacho Mac n cheese Casserole
Ingredients:
White Sauce ingredients
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
No Cashew based white sauce in a jar:
Ingredients:
Grind 1/4 cup almonds, 2 Tablespoons walnuts, 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds and 1/4 cup flour/oats into as fine as possible. Use 1/4-1/3 cup of this mixture in a jar.
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Nut free White sauce in a jar:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour(wheat, spelt, all purpose or gluten-free)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
Blend sauce ingredients with a cup of coconut milk. Add to pan and bring to a boil. Simmer sauce for a minute before adding cooked pasta. Simmer with pasta for 3-4 minutes. Mix, add herbs, let pasta sit for another 2-3 minutes before serving.
Notes:
To grind cashews or other nuts and reduce the possibility of them becoming nut butter, add some flour or oats in the blender with the nuts.
Top the pasta with non dairy cheese shreds or bread crumbs mixed with herbs, salt and olive oil.
Skip evoo for oil-free.
For variations, Use fresh basil, thyme, parsley, or other spice blends like garam masala, cajun, berbere, jerk seasoning.
Use 1/2 cup more coconut milk or 1/2 cup water for thinner sauce.
Add blackened Tempeh, seitan or other meat subs along with the veggies.
Sriracha Sesame sauce anyone.. Of course, you can mix some Sriracha in Mac and cheese too.
Large Vegetable shells in chunky white sauce.
This meal in a jar is being shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Allergy Free Wednesdays, Rickis wellness weekend, Shine supper club.
Barbara
I love this idea! Some days I just don’t have the motivation to put all the ingredients together but just don’t want all the *extra* mystery ingredients in a purchased processed food meal.
Heather Rennie
i’m excited to make these as gifts for family this year! have you used oat flour for this or would it be too thick? trying to figure out the best GF flour option
Richa
rice flour or a combination of rice flour + cornstarch/arrowroot starch will work much better than oat flour. oat flour doesnt thicken much and might just be suspended flour in the liquid.
Deanna
When your recipe says two T flour is that for helping to blend the cashews or is it an additional ingredient? Also do you need a blender to blend everything together or would a whisk work? I want to keep this in my motorhome for quick meals while traveling and I don’t bring my blender with me.
Thank you
Richa
Its an additional ingredient if you dont already have blended up cashews. If you grind the cashew fine enough then just whisking will work. no blended needed
Cheri-Ann
My husband and I tried the basic white sauce with a little hot sauce added and it was amazing!! We are just in love with it and can’t wait to try the different varieties!! Thanks for this!!
Pongodhall
Richa
You are one of the treasures I love as I learn so much and you give us all beautiful, useful things to choose from. You are so imaginative and thank,you for sharing.
barb
I love the idea of these. I follow the Esselstyn diet and am not allowed nuts in my diet. Any suggestions for a substitute? thanks.
Richa
ground seeds like pumpkin or unbleached white flour should work. you will have to try make the basic sauce and adjust the measruments according to preference of thickness etc.
Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan!
This is such a great idea! This is a great gift idea for family and friends, and wonderful recipes to keep on hand. I know I have big aspirations most nights with little time. Thanks so much for sharing these!
Sheree'
There are not words enough to describe this amazing white sauce. thank you so much. I just posted this on my blog for Vegan MOFO 2013!!!
Kristy
This is so smart! It would be perfect as gifts or to have on hand for when I’m lazy. I bet they’re great mixed with things other than pasta too- veggies, grains, beans… there are so many options!
Caitlin
This is such a great idea for quick & easy meal preparation! The ease of boxed mac & cheese but vegan and so much healthier! Thanks so much for posting. I’m definitely going to try this! Do you think it’s possible to make it without blending? When I’m feeling really lazy (the nights I’d probably want to use this mix!) I also don’t feel like doing many dishes and I don’t have a dishwasher. So I’d prefer not to dirty my blender as well as my pots and pans. Do you think it’s possible to mix it by hand if the powder is very finely ground (I’d probably use my coffee/spice grinder) directly in the pot used for cooking it?
Richa
Thanks Caitlin!yes you can mix it by hand. the blending just helps mix all the ingredient well esp if not as well ground. they will blend well anyway when they come to a boil and the sauce is mixed around with the pasta.
Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes
Brilliant! This would also be awesome for New Mom’s- easy healthy Dinner that they or their hubbs doesn’t need to think about!
Richa
i know right:) super easy and healthy!
Melissa Sulista
Thanks for the great ideas! Being gluten and dairy free (and the garlic/onions in marinara sauces not agreeing with my stomach) I had just about given up on having anything but olive oil and seasonings on my pasta. I knew there had to be some other choices. These look interesting. I’m also thinking about working some sort of sauce with pureed veggies of some sort…..
Richa
Hi melissa, Do give these sauces a try. you an also used pureed roasted cauliflower i the sauce. I have a mac and cheese recipe on the blog which uses cauliflower. https://www.veganricha.com/2012/07/roasted-tomato-chipotle-mac-and-cheese.html
you can eliminate the tomato and whatever else. it will stillw ork out beautifully.
Gabby Ouimet
Seriously, such a great idea Richa! I’m off to my kitchen to make some up!! These will be so great for zucchini noodles 🙂
Annie
Brilliant! Everything looks super yummy, too.
Mihl
That is such a great idea! They all sound wonderul, but the spicy sriracha sounds best!
Joey
I’m not a huge fan of pasta, but I could be converted with these sauces! Mac and cheese is always a winner.
Richa
I was not a fan of past when i ate out:) but then with all these crazy fun sauces, psta has become quite a regular fixture:)
Dixya
this is just adorableeeeee and very practical given the amount of pasta i eat. Now heading to check out the recipes. thank you so much
Richa
i agree. i make pasta for 2 and this is just the right amount. if i make for myself i keep some to eat later:)
Hannah
This is so perfect for busy weeks! Can I ask you where you got the small glass(?) containers with the red tops?
Richa
I have a bunch, more than a bunch of these from Hot Cakes in Seattle. They have a vegan take and bake molten lava cake in a jar:) i pick a bunch up whenever they go on sale!
Stephanie
Love your recipes and I absolutely love that last owl bowl may I ask where it came from?
Richa
Annie from An unrefined Vegan sent me the bowl in our last vegan food swap:)
Vicky
What a fantastic idea Richa!
Glue and Glitter
This is such a great gift idea! But really I just want to eat all of those sauces N-O-W!
luminousvegans
This is an awesome idea! Like having fast “convenience” foods ready to go at home but it’s not processed and better!
Richa
yup.. the vegan mac and cheese dry mix has some ingredients i dont know anything about too. These are super easy and work out equally well!
dassana
this such a creative idea richa. i have made a vegan white sauce before with almond milk and i can vouch for the taste and flavors. with so many versions of white sauces, its really easy to whip up a quick meal. pinned.
Caitlin
this is so incredible! weeknights have become insanely busy lately, this is so perfect!
Richa
Mine too:) i currently have the almond walnut mix in a big jar to whip up a pasta with any veggies and greens that i have on hand 🙂
acookinthemaking
This post is incredible. You are so creative!
Anonymous
These are amazing! I’m always looking for quick dinners.
I was just wondering, how long do the jarred powdered sauces last for before they go bad?
Richa
They dont go bad per say. The nutrional yeast or the nuts might start smelling stale. If you use fresh ingredients, they store very well in a cool and dry place for months. you can also refrigerate it if the temperature outside is too warm.
saradgore
I’m confused about the cashew. Whenever I blend cashews without liquid, it either gets creamy all on its own or it stays in big chunks and doesn’t break down further. How do you get it to be a dry powder? Do you have a crazy powerful blender?
Richa
i do have a blendtec, but i also use my magic bullet to powder them. it does a decent job with a few chunks of cashews that i remove. For a better result with the magic bullet or blending larger quantity in blendtec, i usually add atleast a quarter amount flour or oats. The flour absorbs some of the oil released during blending and helps get a fine powder with some creamy clumps but no nut butter.
Tracey
i make my nut flours in a coffee grinder or any other kind of fine spice blending too actually 🙂 it gets them really fine without turning the nuts in to butters.
Richa
in the top shot of the mix, you can see some cashew flour clumps. they r not pieces but clumped up ground cashew. If i blended that longer, it would keep getting creamier and would be more of a nut butter.
saradgore
Thanks, I will try with the flour!
Caitlin
If you have a coffee grinder, try that (you can get them for around $20). I use a coffee/spice grinder to grind my cashews to a fine powder — it works great!
Torviewtoronto
yummy dishes lovely presentation
Trish @infinebalance
This is the best thing ever! Thank-you!