Dinner
Tomato Pasta (vegan), Creamy
This Creamy Tomato Pasta is the reliable straightforward vegan dinner! Made with only a handful of pantry staples in one
- 4 servings
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Total 40 minutes
This Creamy Tomato Pasta is the reliable unfussy vegan dinner! Made with simply a handful of pantry staples in one pot, it’s short, fireside, and endlessly adaptable—swap in your go-to fresh or frozen veggies and dinner is done!
Love a good one pot pasta dinner? Check out my One Pot Lentil Pasta and One Pot Taco Pasta next!
Creamy tomato pasta is exactly the kind of straightforward, one-pot plant-based dinner you’ve been asking for, and it holds up, it delivers on flavor! It might not win any beauty contests, but it’s packed with that rich, comforting taste you’ll crave again and again.
I wanted this dish to feel like summer in a bowl—simple, vibrant, and a great way to use up all those fresh, seasonal veggies that are everywhere right now. You can toss in whatever you have on hand, but I went with zucchini and bell peppers for a colorful, savory mix.
Ingredients in this one pot pasta
You only need a handful of pantry staples and fresh veggies to bring this creamy tomato pasta to life. It’s simple, flexible, and reliable for using up whatever’s in your fridge! Here’s what we’re working with:
- Pasta: I used penne pasta but you could use pretty much any noodle you’d like. If you use a different pasta, the main thing you’ll want to watch out for is cook time. I’ve tried this dish with a gluten-free lentil pasta and it worked out great!
- Veggies: While I used bell pepper and zucchini, you could truly use ANY veggies that you like in this dish. I’ve made it before with a bag of frozen veggies and it was still so worth the pot!
- Creamy tomato sauce: The sauce is a cashew and tomato based sauce that’s SO CREAMY and so satisfying!
- Sun dried tomatoes: I’m not usually a big fan of sun dried tomatoes but I truly love them in this dish! You can leave them out if you don’t have or want them but I highly suggest throwing them into the mix!
How to make creamy tomato pasta
The first thing you’ll want to do is either soak the cashews overnight OR quickly soften them by boiling the cashews in water for 20 minutes. To do this, place the cashews in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and boil lightly for 20 minutes. Drain the water and let cool.
See how to make the pasta here
The recipe
Tomato Pasta (vegan), Creamy
This Creamy Tomato Pasta is the reliable unfussy vegan dinner! Made with simply a handful of pantry staples in one pot, it’s speedy, fireside, and endlessly adaptable—swap in your go-to fresh or frozen veggies and dinner is done!
- 4 servings
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 20 minutes
- Total 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 bell pepper (thinly sliced*)
- 2 large cloves of garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup of packed sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 cup of chopped zucchini (about 1 large*)
For the sauce:
- ½ cup of cashews
- 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil (can also use fresh chopped)
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups of water
Method
- 1
You can either soak the cashews overnight OR quickly soften them by boiling the cashews in water for 20 minutes. To do this, simply place the cashews in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and boil lightly for 20 minutes. Drain the water and let cool.
- 2
In a large skillet, heat the oil and once hot, add in the bell pepper and zucchini. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the veggies begin to soften. Add in the garlic and cook for 2 additional minutes. Place the veggies on a plate and set aside.
- 3
Make the sauce by combining soaked and drained cashews, diced tomatoes, herbs, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend until completely smooth which can take a few minutes.
- 4
Without bothering to whip the skillet clean, add in the water and tomato/ cashew sauce and bring to a simmer. Add in the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8-10 minutes.
- 5
Once the sauce has thickened, add the veggies back into the skillet as well as the sun dried tomatoes. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed and cook another couple of minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Cook notes
*You can make the whole meal a little bit quicker if you cook the veggies in a separate skillet at the same time that you’re cooking the pasta in the sauce. Then you can combine into the same skillet when the recipe indicates. *If desired, you can also leave out the fresh veggies and instead stir in about 2 cups of frozen veggies. This makes this dish a little cheaper (depending on the time of year) AND easier to throw together:)
Per serving
- Serving1 serving
- Calories395 kcal
- Carbohydrates60 g
- Protein13 g
- Fat13 g
- Saturated Fat2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat7 g
- Trans Fat0.01 g
- Sodium284 mg
- Potassium835 mg
- Fiber6 g
- Sugar10 g
- Vitamin A1433 IU
- Vitamin C57 mg
- Calcium85 mg
- Iron4 mg
