Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes Recipe
This creamy vegan red pepper pasta features rigatoni tossed in a smooth, flavorful cashew and roasted red pepper sauce, topped with blistered cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs. It’s a vibrant, dairy-free dish perfect for a comforting yet healthy meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 lb. rigatoni (DeLallo brand)
Blistered Tomatoes
- 2–3 cups cherry tomatoes
- a quick swish of olive oil (DeLallo brand)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1 1/4 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 large roasted red pepper (DeLallo brand – about 1/2 cup if using sliced red peppers)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Toppings
- Chives, for garnish
- Basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside off the heat.
- Broil Tomatoes: Preheat your oven’s broiler. Toss the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet with a quick swish of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, turning once if needed, until the tomatoes are blistered and very roasty.
- Prepare Sauce: While the tomatoes broil, combine the cashews, olive oil, water, roasted red pepper, garlic, nutritional yeast (if using), and salt in a blender. Blend until the mixture is extremely smooth and creamy.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Pour the creamy sauce over the hot, cooked rigatoni and gently stir to coat each piece well. The sauce should cling nicely to the pasta.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and spoon the blistered cherry tomatoes over the top. Garnish with fresh chives and basil, then adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- For a nut-free alternative, consider substituting the cashews with silken tofu or white beans, though the texture may vary.
- If roasted red peppers are not available, you can roast fresh red peppers yourself by charring them over a flame and peeling off the skin.
- Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor but is optional if unavailable.
- Use gluten-free rigatoni if you require a gluten-free version.
- To enhance the roasted flavor, you can toss the pasta with a little pasta water before adding the sauce.
Keywords: vegan pasta, red pepper pasta, roasted tomato pasta, creamy vegan sauce, rigatoni recipe, plant-based pasta, dairy-free pasta sauce
