I am obsessed with this creamy chipotle pasta. The sauce is so easy to make and pretty amazing when you realize that a couple of almonds can make a beautiful cream sauce. The smokiness of the chipotle and the acidity of the lemon juice make it irresistible.

The sauce contains only 6 ingredients almonds, water, almond milk, chipotle, garlic, and lemon juice. Simply place everything in your blender and process until smooth. If you do not have a high powered blender you can soak the almonds overnight. I use raw unpeeled almonds because I prefer their flavor, but if you want an extra creamy sauce you can use blanched almonds or cashews. The sauce shouldn’t be heated because it could break, so when your pasta is done simple toss it with the sauce in a bowl. There is no need heat the pasta and sauce again in pan.

The method for making this sauce was inspired by a sauce made in California called Bitchin’ Sauce. If you live in Cali, you should definitely check it out.

I perfected this recipe while I was living in Hawaii, but it a very homestyle Mexican recipe. The kind that moms and grandmas make at home to feed large crowds. This was one of my favorites before going vegan, so it was only natural that I made a vegan version of this. You can also make a version of this with poblano peppers.

The Recipe: Vegan Creamy Chipotle Pasta

The sauce is best used immediately.

You can use cashews instead of almonds if you prefer.

I also love pouring this sauce on top of my baked potatoes or as a sauce for my chiles rellenos.

If you do not have a high powered blender: Pour boiling water on top of almonds and let sit overnight. Remove skins by pressing the almond between your fingers. The skin should pop off easily. Reduce the amount of water in the recipe to 1/4 cup, then add more if needed to adjust consistency.

Pour boiling water on top of almonds and let sit overnight. Remove skins by pressing the almond between your fingers. The skin should pop off easily. Reduce the amount of water in the recipe to 1/4 cup, then add more if needed to adjust consistency. Enjoy!