Paleo Zucchini Noodles Cacio e Pepe
This dish takes one of the most beloved pasta classics and rebuilds it from the ground up using nothing but whole, grain-free ingredients — and the result is genuinely impressive. The sauce starts with soaked raw cashews blended smooth with nutritional yeast and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, creating a rich, creamy base that coats every strand the way a good cacio e pepe should. Salting and pressing the zucchini noodles before they ever hit the pan is the move that separates a watery disappointment from something that actually feels like a proper bowl of pasta. Toasting the coarsely ground black pepper in olive oil with minced garlic builds that deep, aromatic backbone the dish is famous for, and it comes through loud and clear even without any dairy. The cashew cream goes in over low heat and clings beautifully, thickening just enough to feel indulgent without being heavy. It serves four and comes together with straightforward technique — no special skills required, just a blender, a skillet, and a little patience with the prep. Finish it with extra pepper, a handful of fresh parsley, and a squeeze of lemon, and you have a weeknight dinner that genuinely earns its place at the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cashew cream
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup water, plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the zoodles
- 4 medium zucchini (about 2 lb total), spiralized into noodles
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, for salting zucchini
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
For serving
- fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- 2
While the cashews soak, toss the spiralized zucchini noodles with 1 tsp fine sea salt in a colander set over the sink. Let stand for 20 minutes, then squeeze firmly with your hands or press with a clean kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible — the noodles should feel noticeably drier and slightly limp.
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