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Sun-Dried Tomato Vegan Pasta

Sun-dried tomato vegan pasta with rigatoni is coated in a creamy dairy-free sauce made from full-fat coconut cream and nutritional yeast. Quick stovetop simmer creates a smooth, tangy sauce, then spinach wilts right in for a fresh finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Rigatoni or penne
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne
Sun-dried tomatoes and aromatics
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
Creamy vegan sauce
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut cream
  • 0.5 cup pasta water reserved
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Vegetables and finishing
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 1 fresh basil for serving
  • 1 extra nutritional yeast for serving
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni or penne until al dente, then reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Keep the drained pasta in the colander while you make the sauce so the texture stays firm.
Make the sun-dried tomato sauce
  1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat sun-dried tomato oil and sauté garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring until it darkens slightly.
  3. Add full-fat coconut cream, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce looks creamy and cohesive.
Toss and serve
  1. Add rigatoni or penne to the Dutch oven and toss with reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta.
  2. Add baby spinach and toss until wilted, about 1 minute.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with fresh basil and extra nutritional yeast before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: add pasta water a splash at a time to get the sauce silky without thinning it too much. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water to restore the creamy texture. Freezing isn’t recommended because coconut cream can separate when thawed. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free rigatoni or penne and keep the sauce simmer short to avoid grainy texture.