Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta (Printable)

A rich velvety pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and cashew cream sauce, ready in 30 minutes for a comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti; gluten-free if desired)

→ Sauce

02 - 3.5 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained, plus 2 tbsp oil reserved)
03 - 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained)
04 - 2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (almond, soy, or oat)
05 - 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
06 - 2 cloves garlic
07 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables & Garnish

11 - 1 tbsp olive oil (or reserved sun-dried tomato oil)
12 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 cups fresh baby spinach
14 - Fresh basil leaves, torn (for serving)
15 - Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for serving)

# Steps:

01 - Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
02 - Combine soaked cashews, sun-dried tomatoes, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper in a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
03 - Heat olive oil (or reserved sun-dried tomato oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
04 - Pour the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing to combine. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together faster than you can boil water for pasta
  • Cashews create this impossibly creamy texture that nobody believes is dairy-free
  • Those concentrated sun-dried tomatoes pack so much umami you wont miss the cheese
02 -
  • Skipping the cashew soak time will result in a grainy sauce I learned this the hard way
  • That reserved pasta water is your safety net if the sauce gets too thick
  • The sauce continues thickening as it sits so dont panic if it looks slightly thin at first
03 -
  • Use the oil from your sun-dried tomato jar for sautéing the onion it adds another layer of flavor
  • If your blender struggles add the milk first to get things moving then add the cashews

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