Creamy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta (Printable Version)

Silky cashew-based sun-dried tomato sauce coats tender pasta for a luxurious dairy-free Italian-inspired dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

03 - 3.5 oz (about 2/3 cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (reserve oil)
04 - 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained
05 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
06 - 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
07 - 1 1/4 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat)
08 - 2 tbsp reserved sun-dried tomato oil (or olive oil)
09 - 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 1/2 tsp salt
12 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

→ To Finish

15 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
16 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook the pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, soak the cashews in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
03 - In a blender, combine the soaked cashews, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, shallot, plant-based milk, reserved sun-dried tomato oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, oregano, and smoked paprika. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water or more plant-based milk to reach desired consistency.
05 - Return the drained pasta to the pot over low heat. Pour the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce over the pasta and toss well to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed.
06 - Stir in chopped basil. Divide among plates and top with toasted pine nuts and extra black pepper.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The cashew base creates this incredibly silky restaurant style texture that coats every single piece of pasta perfectly
  • You can throw it together on a Tuesday night but it tastes like something you would order at a fancy Italian place
  • The sauce keeps in the fridge for days and actually gets better as the flavors meld together
02 -
  • If you do not have a high powered blender, soak your cashews longer or even boil them for extra softness to ensure perfectly smooth sauce
  • Reserving that pasta water is absolutely essential, the starchy water helps the sauce cling to every strand of pasta
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so have extra plant milk handy when reheating leftovers the next day
03 -
  • Toast your pine nuts in a dry pan until golden and fragrant, it brings out this incredible nutty flavor
  • Run your blender longer than you think you need to, ultra smooth texture makes all the difference here
  • Season your sauce aggressively at the end, cashews need plenty of salt to really sing

Go Back