Creamy Vegan Cashew Tomato Pasta

Searching for a wealthy, flavorful vegan pasta dish? This Creamy Vegan Cashew Tomato Pasta is the proper mixture of creamy cashew sauce, savory tomatoes, and al dente rigatoni. Made with out dairy, this easy-to-make recipe affords a wealthy, velvety texture from cashew cream, making it an excellent consolation meals for these following a vegan or dairy-free weight-reduction plan. The mix of tomatoes, garlic, and recent herbs provides depth and complexity to the sauce, making a dish that’s each satisfying and nutritious. Whether or not you’re new to vegan cooking or a seasoned professional, this creamy tomato pasta will rapidly change into a favourite in your recipe assortment!

Components:

1 cup uncooked cashews
½ cup water
¾ teaspoon salt (divided)
16 ounces rigatoni (or your most well-liked pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¼ teaspoon crushed purple pepper flakes

Directions:

Put together the Cashew Cream: Place the uncooked cashews in a small bowl and canopy with boiling water. Allow them to soak for about 60 minutes till tender. As soon as delicate, drain the cashews and switch them to a blender with ½ cup of recent water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix till clean and creamy. Put aside.
Cook dinner the Pasta: Convey a big pot of closely salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and prepare dinner in line with package deal directions, however prepare dinner it about 2-3 minutes lower than the beneficial time to realize al dente pasta. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta cooking water earlier than draining.
Put together the Sauce: In a big pan, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. Add the chopped onion and prepare dinner till softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and prepare dinner till aromatic, about 1 minute extra. Stir within the tomato paste and prepare dinner, stirring consistently, till it darkens in shade, about 2 minutes. Then, add the diced tomatoes, crushed purple pepper flakes, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Convey the sauce to a simmer and prepare dinner till it thickens and deepens in shade, about 10 minutes.
Mix Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta, cashew cream, and the remaining 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce. Toss every thing collectively till the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
Serve: Garnish with recent basil leaves and serve instantly.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Creamy Vegan Cashew Tomato Pasta is wealthy, velvety, and filled with taste. The cashew cream provides an expensive creaminess to the dish, making it a wonderful vegan different to conventional creamy pasta sauces. The mix of tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and garlic creates a daring, savory sauce that completely enhances the nutty cashew base. It’s the best meal for anybody craving a dairy-free, hearty pasta dish that’s straightforward to make and satisfies consolation meals cravings.

Ideas

Soak cashews correctly: Make sure the cashews are soaked lengthy sufficient to make them delicate and mix easily. If brief on time, you possibly can soak them in scorching water for 15-20 minutes.
Alter consistency: If the sauce is simply too thick, add extra reserved pasta water to achieve your required consistency.
Taste changes: Style the sauce earlier than including the pasta and alter seasoning to your desire. You’ll be able to add extra salt, crushed purple pepper flakes, or perhaps a sprint of lemon juice for further brightness.

Variations and Substitutions

Noodles: Whereas rigatoni works nice, you should utilize any pasta you like, akin to penne, spaghetti, or fettuccine.
Nuts: In the event you don’t have cashews, you possibly can substitute them with soaked almonds or macadamia nuts for a special taste profile.
Tomato taste: For a deeper tomato taste, use fire-roasted diced tomatoes or add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the sauce.
Add-ins: You’ll be able to incorporate different greens like spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers into the sauce for further vitamin and taste.

FAQs

Can I make this forward of time? Sure! This pasta dish could be made forward and saved within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Merely reheat in a pan with a little bit further water to loosen the sauce.
Can I freeze the sauce? Sure, you possibly can freeze the cashew tomato sauce in an hermetic container for as much as 3 months. Simply you should definitely reheat it gently earlier than serving.
What if I don’t have a blender? In the event you don’t have a blender, you possibly can finely grind the cashews in a meals processor or use cashew butter for a smoother consistency.

Serving Strategies

This Creamy Vegan Cashew Tomato Pasta is a satisfying principal dish, excellent for a fast weeknight dinner. You’ll be able to pair it with a aspect salad, akin to a recent arugula salad, or some garlic bread for an entire meal. For a protein enhance, add roasted chickpeas or sautéed mushrooms as toppings. This dish additionally works effectively as a meal prep choice, because it stays flavorful and scrumptious when saved within the fridge.