Vegan Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta

a big bowl of sundried tomato pasta surrounded by fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, red pepper flakes.

5 from 50 votes

Rich and creamy vegan sundried tomato pasta is a restaurant-quality pasta dish, made right in your own kitchen! The sauce combines tangy sundried tomatoes with fresh basil and thoughtfully chosen ingredients that elevate this sauce to a whole new level.

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Allie Petersen

Equipment

Ingredients

Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion diced
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 cup non-dairy milk unsweetened (like soy or almond)
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tbsp tahini
½ cup fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste

For the Pasta:

12 oz pasta of your choice* such as penne, rotini, or rigatoni
2 heaping cups chopped spinach or kale
Salt and pepper to taste

For Garnish:

Fresh basil leaves chopped
Vegan Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

Cook Pasta

Begin boiling water in a pot with a pinch of salt. Cook pasta to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
*Meanwhile, start to make the sauce.
12 oz pasta of your choice*

Sundried Tomato Sauce

In a large pan begin heating some olive oil over medium heat. Add in your diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion
Add your minced garlic cloves, stir, and cook for another ~2 minutes until slightly browned.
2 cloves garlic
In a high speed blender (or food processor) add in your onion, garlic, sundried tomatoes in oil, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, and lemon juice, tahini, and fresh basil. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides in between if needed.
Taste and add salt and red pepper flakes as desired. (I added slightly more than ½ teaspoon salt to mine and a large pinch of red pepper flakes).
*Save onion & garlic skillet for the next step. No need to wash it.
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 1 cup non-dairy milk, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon tahini, ½ cup fresh basil, Salt and pepper to taste, Red pepper flakes to taste

Sauté Veggies & Combine

On low-medium heat, add spinach to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly cooked down. (At this point you can also sauté other veggies for this recipe such as sliced mushrooms).
2 heaping cups chopped spinach or kale
Add cooked noodles to the pan.
Pour sauce over the top and stir until combined.
Serve the creamy sun-dried tomato pasta in bowls, garnished with chopped fresh basil , vegan Parmesan cheese, and more red pepper flakes, if desired.
Fresh basil leaves, Vegan Parmesan cheese

Notes

⭐️You can choose any type of pasta you like. In my recipe pictures I used rigatoni noodles because I love their texture and shape. You could also try penne, rotini, linguine, fettuccine, and more.

*Swap out regular pasta with gluten-free pasta if needed.

Other tips:

- Add in other veggies to this dish like sautéed mushrooms, kale, red pepper, and more!

- Cook your pasta al dente (firm to the bite) so that it doesn't get mushy with the sauce.

- Adjust the salt and red pepper flakes to your taste. I think the pepper adds a nice contrast to the creamy, slightly sweeter sauce. This recipe definitely needs some salt too so make to sure to add it until it tastes perfect for you!

Nutrition