Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta (Printable)

Rich and velvety sun-dried tomato sauce coats pasta in this comforting, plant-based Italian-inspired dish ready in 30 minutes.

# What You’ll 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 of the 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 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ¼ 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 (to serve)
15 - Crushed red pepper flakes (optional, to serve)

# Directions:

01 - Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, 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 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil (or reserved sun-dried tomato oil) 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. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil and red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Cashews create this impossibly rich texture that nobody believes is dairy-free
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • If your sauce won't blend smooth, add more milk a tablespoon at a time — patience beats broken blenders
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so don't panic if it looks thin right off the heat
  • Reserving pasta water is the difference between restaurant-quality sauce and sauce that slides right off the noodles
03 -
  • Use oat milk if you want the creamiest result — it mimics dairy texture better than almond or soy
  • Don't skip the nutritional yeast, but if you're out, a tablespoon of miso paste works in a pinch

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