That night, I tossed some penne and roasted peppers in the sauce and loved the way it coated each noodle to give the pasta that satisfying taste that usually comes with an alfredo but in a completely healthy, nutrient-packed way. I used bucatini for this recipe—it’s hard to beat those slightly chewy long noodles with a satisfying-to-slurp hole in the middle. However, any long-strand noodle-like spaghetti or linguine works great too, and even a short noodle-like penne or rigatoni would be delicious, although a different take. I prefer to soak walnuts before toasting them to use in any recipe anyway, so I typically throw them in water the minute I get them home from the grocery store, vegan pesto pasta pop the jar in the fridge until I’m ready to use them.
The creamy vegan sauce uses an unusual yet very cool method: you sauté onions and garlic until golden brown to get that caramelized flavor, then add a splash of water to deglaze the pan before transferring it all to a blender. While your pasta is cooking, all that’s left to do is sauté an entire pint of cherry tomatoes in olive oil, just until they start to burst. Into the same pan goes the pasta, scoops of creamy vegan walnut sauce, and a little pasta water to bring it all together. Showers of lemon zest, chopped basil, and red chili flakes for a just-right amount of heat.
For this recipe, I used bucatini—one of my personal favorite pasta shapes thanks to its chewy al dente bite, along with the satisfying hole that runs through the center of each noodle, perfect for sopping up the sauce in every strand. This recipe can easily be made gluten-free by swapping in a gluten-free pasta like Banza. Even though I’m not gluten-free, I frequently make their pasta that boasts 20 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving, thanks to the fact that it’s made from chickpeas. A few twists on this recipe Like most of my pasta recipes, this one is super customizable—you can swap in other seasonal veggies for the tomatoes depending on what’s in season.
For the creamy vegan sauce, feel free to experiment with other nuts. Delicious—just make sure to soak them first, as with the walnuts. Or, you can throw in a handful of pine nuts, which are already tender and creamy enough to not need a pre-soak at all. Try leveling up the flavor of the sauce with a squeeze of miso paste, which adds that umami that you might get from anchovy in a more classic Italian sauce.
How to double this recipe to feed a crowd Most pasta recipes, this one included, are super simple to double for a crowd. Just double your pasta and tomatoes, and use a big pan when sautéeing the tomatoes so that you can fit in all that pasta with enough room to give it some generous tosses when you add the sauce. The sauce already makes extra, so you should have plenty of that as-is. Want more healthy, delicious, and easy pasta recipes? If you’ve been around here awhile, you know we’ve GOT you. Scroll on for the recipe for this Creamy Vegan Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil, and don’t forget to rate and review, and tag us on Instagram if you make it!
This creamy vegan pasta with tomatoes and basil is a simple and delicious pasta dinner–it comes together in 15 minutes! Meanwhile, make the creamy vegan walnut sauce: In a medium skillet, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt, and sauté until softened and golden. Add water to the pan, and deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape the pan. Transfer onion mixture to a blender, and add walnuts, lemon juice, and zest. Blend until smooth, adding more salt to taste.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, warm a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. If the pasta isn’t yet ready, turn off the heat so they don’t overcook. When the pasta is cooked to al dente, use a slotted spoon to transfer noodles directly into the pan with tomatoes.
4 cup of pasta cooking water. Use tongs to toss it very well until the sauce lightly coats each strand of pasta. This may take a little while–just keep tossing! Divide between bowls, making sure each bowl gets topped with some of the burst tomatoes. Top with more lemon zest, torn basil, red chili flakes, and a big pinch of flaky salt.
Your email address will not be published. How much water is used to soak the walnuts and is that water included in the sauce? Just soak them in enough water to cover, then drain and rinse before adding to the sauce. Do you think pecans would work for the sauce? I haven’t tested it with pecans, but I do think it would work just fine. Wondering if you add the walnuts with the soaking water or drain the water off and just add the walnuts?