Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta (Printable Version)

Rich, velvety sun-dried tomato and cashew cream sauce coats tender pasta, finished with fresh spinach and aromatic basil for a comforting Italian-inspired meal.

# What You 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)

# How-To:

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 Hints:

01 -
  • It proves that rich, restaurant-quality pasta can happen in under 30 minutes with ingredients you can actually pronounce
  • The sauce keeps beautifully for days, making it perfect for those nights when cooking anything feels like too much
02 -
  • If your sauce is too thick, pasta water is your secret weapon for getting that perfect coating consistency
  • The cashews must be soaked long enough, or you will end up with grainy sauce instead of silky perfection
03 -
  • Use the oil from your sun-dried tomatoes instead of plain olive oil for extra depth
  • Toast your cashews lightly before soaking if you want an even nuttier, more complex flavor

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