Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta is easy to make on a weeknight, but elegant enough for a special occasion. And it’s oil-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free!
Do you know the secret to making creamy pasta without dairy or oil?
It’s cashews!
All you need to do is blend soaked raw cashews with water and some seasoning, and you get a luxurious sauce without any milk or oil.
For example, you can make Creamy Asparagus Pasta.
Or one of my go-to recipes Lemon Cream Pasta Sauce.
Be sure to buy raw cashews rather than roasted. In addition, it helps to have a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix.
But if you don’t have one, fear not. You can soak the cashews for 30 minutes in hot water or overnight in the refrigerator, and you’ll be good to go.
Besides making Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta when you feel like a comforting meal, you can also serve it on special occasions, like Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
I like it with a salad like Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Salad or a Massaged Kale Salad. And, of course, a fancy dessert, preferably one with chocolate.
This recipe uses the sundried tomatoes you find in a package, rather than the ones packed in oil.
I usually buy them at Trader Joe’s, but you can find them in most supermarkets in the produce section.
And I haven’t tried it yet, but you can even make your own sundried tomatoes at home! Check out this article that explains how to make them in the oven, a dehydrator, or in the sun.
Now let’s make Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta!
Look how easy it is to make Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta in this short video!
Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta
Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta comes together quickly without oil or dairy. If you don't have a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix, soak the raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta (gluten free, if desired. I use Barilla gluten-free spaghetti)
- 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, return to the pot, and set aside.
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Blend the sundried tomatoes, cashews, water, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a high-speed blender until sauce is very smooth. Add more water, if needed.
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Add the sauce to the cooked pasta and toss until well coated.
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Serve the pasta in bowls and top with fresh parsley, if desired.
Recipe Notes
If you make Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta, or any of the other recipes on the website, I would love to see your creations!
Use the hashtag #veggiessavetheday on Instagram and tag Veggies Save The Day so I don’t miss seeing what’s cooking in your kitchen. In addition, you can post your photos on the Facebook page Veggies Save The Day.
I absolutely love sun dried tomatoes. So much flavor! This pasta dish looks perfect and so quick and easy. It might be going on my menu later this week!
Thanks Jenn! It’s so incredibly easy!
O well I have a ton of sun dried tomatoes on hand right now from another recipe that need to get used, perfect timing 😉
Definitely perfect timing! I hope you enjoy it!
i was looking for some ideas for lunch today..and here i have it. thank you!
You’re welcome, Dixya! I hope you enjoy it!
Cashews are magical! I love creamy cashew sauce. This looks delicious!
Thanks Linda! I never knew about raw cashews until I became vegan. They are truly magical!
I LOVE sundried tomatoes in pasta, but I never thought to use cashews to make the sauce creamier! What a great idea, and what a delicious-looking plate. Pasta is my weakness, so I’m going to have to try this.
Thanks Kasey! I hope you enjoy it!
This looks like my kind of pasta sauce! I’m not always crazy about pasta, but I love it if it’s loaded with veggies.
I hope you like this one, Becky! I like it better than a boring basic tomato sauce.
I love to make creamy sauces with cashews, they make such good sauce. This recipe looks like a great midweek meal, I am sure my partner would love it too.
Thanks Sus! I always try to keep my cashew supply stocked. 🙂
This pasta dish looks flavorful and sounds delicious. This is perfect meal to try on.
Thanks Sabrina! 🙂
I love pasta all day every day! Creamy and sundried is one of my faves too! YUM
Thanks Sophia! I always keep my pantry stocked with pasta!
We are absolutely sundried tomato obsessed in our house. They add so much flavour to a pasta dish.
I love them too, Dannii!
Sun-dried tomatoes are the best and have so much of flavor. I love making pestos with them. This is a great weeknight meal!
Thanks Meeta! It’s great for a fast and healthy meal!
This looks absolutely delicious. So creamy … and sundried tomatoes adds so much flavours. I love that this pasta is oil free… Super healthy. Sharing this!
Thanks Natalie! It is really healthy!
Pasta dishes are great for a warm filling meal. Love the idea of using cashews, with all the added goodness from them. Great idea.
Thanks Helen! It’s so easy, too!
I love cashew cream on pasta, and I love sun-dried tomatoes! This recipe looks so good!
Thanks Dianne! I combined two of my (and your) favorite things!
Yum… Mouth watering recipe! I am sure my kids will like this:)
Thanks Uma! I hope they do!
Sundried tomatoes + cashews = awesome! Great weeknight pasta dish everyone should know!
Thanks Hauke! It’s a staple in my house.
That pasta looks so pretty and fresh! I would definitely try this glutenfree-vegan & oil free version.
Thanks Molly! I hope you enjoy it.
This looks scrumptious! I love creamy pasta dishes, especially healthy ones. I’m a big fan of sundried tomatoes , too. This ones a keeper 🙂
Thanks Melissa! I love sundried tomatoes, too. 🙂
This is gorgeous—love that color! Adding this to my collection of pasta recipes!
Thanks Sarah! I hope your family enjoys it. 🙂
do you think this sauce is freezable…..before combining with the pasta ??
I’m afraid the texture would be off when it’s defrosted. I would make it fresh, if possible.
Hi — I made this sauce tonight. It has a great flavor. But I wonder why my sauce turned out brown in color while the photos of the sauce you have posted look more tomato red in color (much more appealing than brown). I used sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), and followed the recipe exactly. Any ideas?
Thanks for the recipe — great idea…
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I imagine the sundried tomatoes you used weren’t as red as the ones I used. Were they a dark color? Anyway, I’m glad it still tasted good!
I would have never thought to put cashews in pasta! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for including it in your Valentine’s Day post, Kevin!