This creamy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is made with a delicious cashew tomato pasta sauce and takes just 30 minutes to make! It gets topped off with vegan chicken tenders for plant-based protein. In partnership with Dr. Praeger’s!
Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
PASTA. I am a lover of any and all vegan pasta recipes. vegan alfredo, pasta skillets, dairy-free mac & cheese, vegan lasagna… you name it, I’ll eat it. Where my pasta lovers at?!
Today I have for you this beautiful and delicious plate of Creamy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta. Yup. You’re welcome.
This is one of those pasta recipes that I love to have when it’s cold out and I’m craving something that reminds me of the warmer months. We’re making a vegan creamy tomato pasta sauce using sun dried tomatoes to remind us of the sunshine we’re desperately craving! Since sun dried tomatoes are a preserved product, they’re a great way to get that delicious, summery tomato flavor in the thick of winter.
We’re pairing our sun dried tomatoes with a delicious cashew cream pasta sauce for the ultimate creamy sun dried tomato pasta. It’s wholesome, comforting and super crave-worthy. Get ready to add it into your regular dinner rotation!
Ingredients for Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
This creamy vegan sun dried tomato pasta is a total flavor bomb. Sun dried tomatoes are super flavorful to begin with, but when we mix them into a cashew cream pasta sauce, it really is next level.
For some plant protein, we’re adding Dr. Praeger’s Classic Chick’n Tenders on top of this creamy sun dried tomato pasta! These “meaty” vegan chick’n tenders are delicious in this vegan sun dried tomato pasta! It’s kind of like chicken alfredo, but more adult and ~sophisticated~, thanks to the addition of sun dried tomatoes. They’re part of Dr. Praeger’s new Pure Plant Protein line, and they pack in 14 grams of plant protein per serving—woohoo! Check out where to find them in a store near you.
Here’s everything you’ll need to make yourself a bowl!
- Dr. Praeger’s Classic Chick’n Tenders. These are the perfect addition to this sun dried tomato pasta for a boost of protein.
- Spaghetti. I’m using whole grain spaghetti, but you could use regular spaghetti or a gluten-free variety.
- Olive oil. All of the best recipes start with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Spinach. You can use fresh or frozen spinach. Kale would also work well in this recipe.
- Cashews. Make sure to use raw cashews for this recipe! We’ll soak them overnight before making our cashew cream pasta sauce.
- Sun dried tomatoes. Make sure they’re packaged in oil, because we’ll be using that delicious sun dried tomato infused olive oil in the recipe!
- Nutritional yeast. This will give us that umami cheesy flavor in our cashew cream pasta sauce.
- Non-dairy milk. You can use any variety you like, but make sure you go for unsweetened.
- Garlic. We’re using 2 fresh cloves of garlic in this vegan sun dried tomato pasta.
- Seasonings. We’re using salt, pepper, cayenne and red pepper flakes.
How to Make the Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce
If you’re new around here, let me tell you a little insider trick—the secret to the creamiest vegan sauces is CASHEWS. Yes, this humble nut ain’t just for snackin’. When blended with liquid and some spices, cashews transform into a smooth sauce perfect for pouring over noodles. You can also make things like vegan sour cream by using cashews.
Two things to keep in mind when making this sun dried tomato cashew cream pasta sauce:
- Use raw cashews.
- Soak them in water overnight, or boil them for 10 minutes, to get them soft enough to blend.
For this vegan sun dried tomato pasta, we’re blending soaked cashews with flavorful sun dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, garlic, and spices. Try not to eat it all before you pour it onto the pasta…
More Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Recipes
I know you’re going to love this creamy sun dried tomato pasta. It might be one of my favorite vegan pasta recipes. If you’re looking for more ideas of what to do with the rest of that jar of tomatoes, check out these other vegan sun dried tomato recipes!
- Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Meatballs by Minimalist Baker
- Easy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto by Simply Quinoa
- Vegan Risotto with Sun Dried Tomatoes by The Spruce Eats
- Sun Dried Tomato White Bean Skillet with Garlic Bread by Plant Based RD
- Vegan Gado-Gado with Sun Dried Tomatoes by Pick Up Limes
Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
This creamy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta is made with a delicious cashew tomato pasta sauce and takes just 30 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 1 package Dr. Praeger’s Classic Chick’n Tenders
- 1 16-ounce box whole grain spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups spinach, chopped
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight*
- 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (in oil), divided
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon oil (from sun dried tomatoes)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Red pepper flakes, for garnish
Instructions
-
- Cook Classic Chick’n Tenders according to package directions. When cool, slice into thin strips.
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
- Cook spinach. In the pot that the spaghetti cooked in, warm oil over medium-low heat. Add spinach; cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until wilted. Return pasta to pot.
- Make cashew tomato pasta sauce. In a blender or food processor, add cashews, 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, oil, non-dairy milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour sauce over pasta and spinach.
- Finish the pasta. Slice remaining 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes into thin strips. Add to pasta; stir to combine.
- Top pasta with slices of Classic Chick’n Tenders and red pepper flakes.
Notes
*If you forget to soak cashews overnight, boil water and pour over cashews. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Thanks to Dr. Praeger’s for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands whose products I really love and would honestly recommend. Thank you for supporting this blog that I love oh-so-much!
