Description
A comforting, creamy, and flavorful vegan pasta dish featuring a luscious tomato sauce blended with cashews, fresh spinach, and aromatic basil. It’s rich, wholesome, and ready in under 30 minutes — the perfect weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- Pasta: 12 ounces
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
- Crushed tomatoes: 1 can (28 ounces)
- Cashews: 1/2 cup, soaked
- Unsweetened plant milk: 3/4 cup
- Nutritional yeast: 2 tablespoons
- Fresh spinach: 2 cups
- Fresh basil: 1/4 cup, chopped
- Salt and black pepper: to taste
- Red pepper flakes: optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving some pasta water.
- In a blender, combine soaked cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes to the skillet and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the cashew cream and mix well until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add spinach and let it wilt in the sauce, then combine the cooked pasta, tossing everything together. Adjust consistency with a bit of reserved pasta water if needed.
- Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir in fresh basil before serving.
- Serve warm, topped with extra basil or nutritional yeast if desired.
Notes
- Use unsweetened plant milk to avoid altering the flavor.
- Reserve some pasta water to adjust sauce thickness.
- For a nut-free version, replace cashews with sunflower seeds or silken tofu.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat with a splash of plant milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan creamy pasta, tomato basil pasta, dairy-free dinner, quick vegan recipes, spinach pasta