Creamy High-Protein Pasta Sauce Recipe

A deliciously creamy, protein-packed pasta sauce that’s perfect for a healthy meal! Made with wholesome ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, and RITUAL unflavoured protein, this vegan-friendly recipe delivers a rich, cheesy flavor without dairy.

Ingredients

For the sauce:
✅ ½ cup cashews (soaked for extra creaminess)
✅ 1 garlic clove
✅ Juice of ½ lemon
✅ ½ cup nutritional yeast
✅ ½ tsp smoked paprika
✅ 2 tbsp RITUAL unflavoured protein powder
✅ ¼ tsp onion powder
✅ 1 tsp mustard
✅ Black pepper to taste
✅ Pinch of salt

For the pasta:
✅ 80g spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
✅ 1 cup peas

Instructions

1️⃣ Cook the Pasta – Prepare the pasta as per the package instructions. Once done, drain it, but save 1 cup of the pasta water for the sauce.

2️⃣ Blend the Sauce – In a blender, add the cashews, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, RITUAL protein, onion powder, mustard, black pepper, salt, and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Blend until completely smooth. If needed, add more pasta water gradually for a thinner consistency.

3️⃣ Combine Everything – Mix the creamy sauce with the cooked pasta in a pan. Add the peas, and season with additional salt and black pepper if desired.

4️⃣ Serve & Enjoy! – Plate your creamy high-protein pasta and dig in!

💡 Pro Tip: Soaking cashews beforehand makes the sauce extra smooth and creamy!

What It Actually Does

Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen - a substance that helps the body adapt to physical and psychological stress. But that description undersells the specificity of the evidence.

In peer-reviewed clinical trials, ashwagandha root extract has been shown to:

01

Reduce serum cortisol levels significantly in adults under chronic stress

02

Support testosterone levels and muscle recovery in resistance-trained adults

03

Improve subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and wellbeing

04

Improve subjective measures of stress, anxiety, and wellbeing

05

Improve sleep quality and reduce time to sleep onset

Why The Form Matters

Here is where most supplement labels become misleading.
The clinical trials that produced the evidence above didn't use generic ashwagandha root powder. They used standardised, patented extracts - specifically KSM-66® and Sensoril®, both of which are produced from roots using proprietary extraction methods that concentrate the active withanolides to a consistent, clinically meaningful level.
Generic ashwagandha powder can contain anywhere from 1% to 8% withanolides. KSM-66® is standardised to a minimum of 5% withanolides with a full-spectrum root extract, which means it retains the natural balance of the plant's compounds rather than isolating one component.
When you buy a supplement that says "ashwagandha" without specifying the extract form, you have no way of knowing whether it contains enough active compounds to do anything at all.
At Arise, we use KSM-66® in every formula that contains ashwagandha. It's more expensive. It's worth it.

Third-party Testing

Supplements are not regulated the same way pharmaceuticals are. In most markets, a supplement company can put almost anything in a capsule and make almost any claim about it, as long as they don't claim to treat a specific disease.
This is why third-party testing matters. It means an independent laboratory - one with no financial relationship to the supplement company - has tested the product to verify that:

The ingredients listed are actually present
They're present at the stated concentrations
The product doesn't contain contaminants, heavy metals, or undisclosed substances

Look for: NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, or USP Verified certification on any supplement you take. These are the most rigorous third-party standards available.
Every Arise formula is third-party tested before it reaches you. The results are available on request.

The Honest Bottom Line

Ashwagandha works. The evidence is genuinely strong. But the quality of the extract determines the quality of the outcome — and most of what's available on the market doesn't use the forms that the clinical research actually studied.
Read the label. Ask for the extract form. Expect a specific answer.