Description
Indulge in the rich flavors of this Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes. A luscious plant-based dish that combines roasted red peppers, cashews, and cherry tomatoes for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 12 ounces pasta of choice (such as rigatoni or penne)
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers (drained)
- ¼ cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes)
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Garnish:
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Blister the Tomatoes: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes until blistered and softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a separate skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the onion until soft, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Blend the onion mixture with roasted red peppers, soaked cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
- Combine and Serve: Return the sauce to the skillet over medium-low heat, adding pasta water as needed. Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce, fold in the blistered tomatoes, garnish with fresh basil, and serve warm.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, substitute sunflower seeds or silken tofu for the cashews.
- You can roast your own red peppers for deeper flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Blending
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
