Vegan Dinners
Creamy Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Cashew Cream
This dish marries the bright acidity of crushed tomatoes with the luxurious silkiness of a homemade cashew cream. Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil add layers of depth, creating a hearty and indulgent pasta that stands entirely on its own merit.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 510 kcal
Method
Place the raw cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for at least 15 minutes. Soaking the cashews is essential because it softens the nut's cellular structure, allowing them to emulsify into a perfectly smooth, velvet-like cream rather than a gritty paste when blended.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a high-speed blender with 3/4 cup of fresh water. Blend on high until completely smooth and thick.
Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, and nutritional yeast to the skillet with the onions. Blooming the nutritional yeast in the warm tomato sauce matters because it allows the flakes to dissolve fully, evenly distributing its characteristic savory and nutty profile throughout the sauce.
Pour the cashew cream into the skillet and stir to combine with the tomato mixture. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Toss the cooked rigatoni into the sauce, coating every piece thoroughly. Stir in the fresh basil just before serving to maintain its bright color and aromatic oils.
Notes
Always use raw, unroasted cashews for the cream base to ensure a neutral, milky flavor.
If you have a standard blender instead of a high-speed one, soak your cashews for at least 4 hours or overnight to ensure a smooth texture.
The starch in the reserved pasta water helps the sauce cling to the rigatoni; never skip saving a cup before draining.
