Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta With Herbs

This vegan creamy tomato pasta infused with Italian herbs is silky and indulgent, and you can eat as much as you want without feeling guilty!

If you want to eat some creamy and indulgent pasta loaded with flavor but without the guilt that comes with it, you are in the right place!

This is a pasta that Dan’s auntie used to make when he visited as a kid. The original version was made with full-fat double cream, and it was one of Dan’s favorite pasta.

When we decided to incorporate more wholesome plant-based meals into our diet, this pasta was something Dan really missed.

So I thought I would have a go at transforming it into a fully vegan version, using the same trick I used in my Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta.

And oh boy! This is as good as the original version! I bet even Dan’s auntie won’t be able to tell the difference.

Ingredients you’ll need

Ok, we know there is a cream of some sort here. I’ve used my favorite plan-base cream substitute: cashew nut cream. But you can use pretty much any vegan cream you like.

However, the real star of this recipe is the flavor coming from the Italian herbs in all their glory. The more variety you can add, the tastier this pasta will be. At a minimum, you’ll need fresh rosemary and basil. Ideally, you’ll also want some flat parsley and thyme.

If you don’t have fresh herbs handy, you can use frozen ones, but please don’t use dry herbs. 

So, this is what you need:

• Pasta of your choice: whole wheat pasta, gluten-free pasta, or regular pasta.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic
• Onion
• Tomato sauce
• Cashew cream or any other plant-based cream
• Fresh herbs: rosemary and basil essential, then if available thyme and parsley.

How to make cashew cream

If you are in a hurry, you can simply buy any plant-based cream. But I prefer to make my own using cashew nuts.

You just need 4 simple ingredients:

• Soaked cashews
• Water
• A pinch of salt
• The juice of 1/2 lemon

And this is how you do it:

• Place the cashews in a bowl, cover them with boiling water (it needs to be super hot!), and let them soak for 10-15 minutes.
• Rinse the cashew nuts and place the cashews in a food processor or blender with water, salt, and lemon juice until velvety smooth. You’ll need 1/2 cup of cashew nuts and 1/4 cup of water for this recipe.

How to make creamy tomato pasta

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook the pasta following the package directions until al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a pan, and add the chopped onion and crushed garlic until golden. Add the tomato sauce and season well with salt and pepper.
3. After 5 minutes, add the finely chopped basil, rosemary, and parsley. Let the sauce cook for another 10 minutes to infuse it with the herbs’ aromatic flavors.
4. Add the cashew cream and combine well. Add the pasta, toss well, and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes on low heat to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce.
5. Serve hot, and garnish with some fresh thyme or basil leaves and enjoy.

Tips

• Use a good quality tomato sauce, a proper Italian tomato passata like this one.
• The fresh herbs need to be chopped as finely as possible. This will ensure that they will infuse the sauce with incredible flavor without remaining hard to chew.
• You can prepare the sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. This sauce is perfect for freezing for up to 3 months. Simply defrost it overnight in the refrigerator and warm it in a pan, adding a bit of water to loosen it up if needed.

Other pasta recipes you’ll love

• Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta
• Tuscan Kale Pesto Pasta
• Basil Pesto Pasta
• Hummus Pasta
• No-Cook Creamy Tomato Pasta
• Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta With Sage
• Red Pepper Pasta