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Creamy Vegan Pink Pasta (30 Minutes!)
Creamy, cheesy, savory, and PINK vegan pasta! A quick and easy, plant-based, and oh-so-comforting side or main. Just 10 ingredients and 30 minutes required!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 5 (Servings)
Calories: 458 kcal
Course:
Side Dish , Main Course
Cuisine:
Vegan
Ingredients
PASTA
- Water for boiling
- 1 Tbsp salt (for seasoning the water)
- 12 ounces Pasta of Choice (penne is best here // gluten-free as needed // we like Jovial brand)
SAUCE
- 3/4 cup raw cashews*
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (if oil-free, sub water and use more as needed)
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced (4-5 cloves yield ~3 Tbsp minced)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ Tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ - 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup water (plus more for soaking cashews)
FOR SERVING optional
- Freshly chopped basil
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Add 3/4 cup cashews (90 g // adjust amount if altering batch size) to a bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Set aside to soak.
- For the pasta, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
- Heat a large rimmed skillet (or large pot) over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions and cook until tender — about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and continue cooking until fragrant — about 30 seconds.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue simmering for 10 minutes or until thickened.
- When the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and stir to prevent clumps. Cook to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- Drain cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with nutritional yeast and 1 cup (240 ml // adjust amount if altering batch size) of water. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- To the tomato sauce, add cashew mixture and stir to combine. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until it becomes a thick but pourable sauce. Taste and adjust, adding more tomato paste for tomato flavor, nutritional yeast for cheesiness, red pepper flakes for heat, or salt for overall flavor.
- Add drained pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. It should be quite saucy and well coated. Serve warm and garnish with fresh basil and vegan parmesan cheese (optional).
- Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days. Sauce can be frozen up to 1 month.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- *If cashew-free, you can sub full-fat coconut milk for the cashews and water, but sauce will have a slight coconut flavor.*Adapted from Female Foodie.*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 12 ounces rice-based gluten-free penne and 1/4 tsp salt in the pasta water (since the full tablespoon isn’t absorbed into the pasta), and without optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
458
(23%)
Carbohydrates
70.6g
(24%)
Protein
11.9g
(24%)
Fat
16.2g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
2.3g
(12%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2.2g
Monounsaturated Fat
8.6g
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
0mg
(0%)
Sodium
634mg
(26%)
Potassium
542mg
(15%)
Fiber
6.1g
(24%)
Sugar
7.2g
(14%)
Vitamin A
259IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
12.6mg
(14%)
Calcium
54mg
(5%)
Iron
3.7mg
(21%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5(Servings)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 458
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 458 | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 70.6g | 24% |
| Protein | 11.9g | 24% |
| Fat | 16.2g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2.3g | 12% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.2g | 13% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8.6g | 43% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 634mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 542mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 6.1g | 24% |
| Sugar | 7.2g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 259IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 12.6mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 54mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3.7mg | 21% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.