Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta stars a creamy blender sauce made with raw cashews and jarred sun-dried tomatoes. Ready in 20 minutes, this luxurious dairy-free dish is both easy for weeknight dinners and elegant for special occasions.
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Sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil are one of my favorite ingredients to keep in my pantry.
They bring an intense concentrated tomato flavor to everything from sun-dried tomato dip to lentil salad to pesto Brussels sprouts.
And by blending them with raw cashews and water they form a delicious no-cook pasta sauce that's ready in less time than it takes to cook a package of spaghetti.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It's rich and flavorful yet only requires 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper).
- You can make it in 20 minutes or less.
- It's as delicious as pasta dishes served in restaurant and is easy to make at home without dairy.
Ingredients
Sun-dried tomatoes: This recipe calls for the ones in a jar packed in olive oil. If you prefer an oil-free version, you can use the dry ones sold in bags and in bulk bins. But you will need to soak them in a bowl of water for at least 2 hours to reconstitute them.
Raw cashews: Look for raw cashews rather than roasted cashews. Bags of halves and pieces are usually less expensive than whole raw cashews.
Variations
Use this vegan sun-dried tomato pasta recipe as a starting point for creating your own plant-based pasta recipes. Here are some suggestions:
- Add a little cheesy flavor by adding some nutritional yeast to the sauce before blending.
- Make it spicy by sprinkling some crushed red pepper flakes on top.
- Stir in greens to the finished pasta like baby spinach or chopped kale or chard.
- Top the pasta with some extra diced sun-dried tomatoes.
- Serve it with a dollop of vegan pesto in place of fresh herbs.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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Equipment
If you don't have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you can still make the sauce for Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta in a regular blender or a food processor.
But you'll first need to soak the raw cashews in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes to soften them. Or prep in advance and soak them overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Instructions
- Place the ingredients in the container of a high-speed blender. Add one cup of starchy reserved pasta water.
- Blend until completely smooth, adding a little extra water, as needed.
- Toss with hot pasta, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve immediately.
Amy's tip
Before draining the pasta, dip a glass measuring cup or coffee mug into the cooking water and reserve at least 1½ cups. You will need it for making the sauce and to aid in tossing the pasta with the sauce.
Serving suggestions
Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta is delicious on its own or with tofu meatballs. Serve it with any of your favorite vegetable side dishes or salads.
I particularly enjoy it with sauteed tomatoes and zucchini or green beans and mushrooms. And it's wonderful with Mediterranean cauliflower salad or herbed green bean salad.
Storing
Leftover pasta will last refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best results, do not freeze.
Recipe FAQs
Sun-dried tomatoes are sold in two forms: Dry and packed in oil. To use the dry ones you will need to first rehydrate them in hot water to soften them. The ones in a jar packed in oil are already plump and ready to use.
If you do not have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you'll need to soak your cashews in warm water for at least 30 minutes or overnight to soften them. Then rinse and drain them, and proceed with the recipe.
Roasted unsalted cashews can be used, but they will leave a more nutty flavor.
More vegan sun-dried tomato recipes
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration & fun!
Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
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Equipment
- high speed blender
Ingredients
- 12-16 ounces pasta, (gluten free, optional. I use Barilla gluten-free spaghetti)
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, excess oil drained off
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup reserved pasta water, plus extra, as needed
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Dip a glass measuring cup or coffee mug into the water and reserve about 1½ cups. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and set aside while you make the sauce.
- Blend the sun-dried tomatoes, cashews, 1 cup reserved pasta water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper in a high-speed blender until the sauce is very smooth. Add more reserved pasta water as needed if the sauce is too thick to blend.
- Add the sauce to the cooked pasta and toss until well coated, adding a little extra reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve the pasta immediately topped with fresh basil or parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Sarah says
The sauce would not blend because it was too thick. Despite adding a lot of extra water and oat milk, it remained chunky because of the cashews. I was using a vitamix, so it’s not for lack of having a good blender. This recipe should direct you to at least soak the cashews.
I ended up eating plain noodles instead. Total fail.
Amy Katz says
I'm sorry the recipe did work for you. If you used the cup of hot pasta water and a Vitamix, I'm surprised you had trouble blending the sauce. Oat milk is not an ingredient in this recipe.
Bhavna says
Any replacement to the cashew, I don't do so well with them.
Amy Katz says
Someone else said they used beans, but I personally haven't tried it without the cashews.
Jamers says
It was delicious and easy to make in my blender! I wanted more protein and less fat so I swapped out to 1/2 pinto beans and 1/2 cashews. Next time I will swap out and use 1 can of pinto beans and 0 cashews. Thank you for the great recipe!
Amy Katz says
That's fantastic, Jamie! I'm so happy you enjoyed the pasta.
Steve says
Yummy! Unique flavor. Fast and easy. Thank you!
Amy says
Thanks Steve!