• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Three Little Chickpeas

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Resources
  • Vegan Oil-Free Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Oil-Free Recipes
  • Resources
  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Oil-Free Recipes
    • Resources
    • About Me
    • Contact Us
  • Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta (with Cashews)

    Published: Sep 26, 2022 . Modified: Apr 18, 2024 by Allie

    This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This vegan creamy tomato pasta combines cashew cream, canned diced tomatoes, and fresh basil to create a comforting pasta dinner.  The recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together quickly. 

    Vegan creamy tomato pasta in a white bowl with basil and vegan parmesan.

    It starts with a base of onions and garlic and then cook the tomatoes along with dried basil and oregano for the flavors to develop.  For this dairy-free creamy tomato sauce, soak cashews and blend them with water to make cashew cream sauce. Then add the simple cashew cream to make the sauce rich and velvety.  Then finish the dish by topping it with fresh basil, vegan parmesan cheese, or make it spicy by adding crushed red pepper flakes.

    For more recipes for creamy pastas try tahini pasta with sun-dried tomatoes or creamy tahini soba noodles.  For more easy weeknight meal ideas try zesty quinoa salad.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe features
    • Ingredient notes and substitutions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Tips
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Recipe features

    • Easy and comes together in 30 minutes!
    • Dairy-free!
    • Uses mainly pantry ingredients!
    • It's customizable, add fresh spinach, olives, crushed red pepper flakes, or cashew parmesan.

    Ingredient notes and substitutions

    The creamy vegan pasta sauce recipe calls for simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

    Raw cashews - The raw cashews need to be soaked to soften.  Then they’re blended with water to give this vegan tomato pasta a creamy texture.  Soak overnight or boil water and pour over the cashews and let them soak for about 15-20 minutes.  

    Onion - I use a finely diced yellow onion, but shallots would also work.  If you are making the sauce without oil, be cautious since shallots burn easily without oil.

    Fresh garlic - I love garlic in pasta sauces, if you're not as big of a fan then reduce the amount in the recipe.

    Tomato paste - The tomato paste adds a more intense tomato flavor and helps thicken the sauce. 

    Diced tomatoes - I like the texture of diced tomatoes, but a can of 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes can be substituted.

    Dried basil and dried oregano - Italian seasoning can be substituted for dried basil and dried oregano.

    Pasta - Any kind of pasta will work for this vegan creamy tomato sauce.  My favorite is short pasta like rotini, shells, or fusilli, but you can also use spaghetti.

    Fresh basil - Finishing off the dish with fresh basil adds a lot of flavor, but it can be skipped if you don’t have any fresh herbs on hand. 

    Serving suggestions

    Serve the creamy vegan tomato pasta on its own, or here are a few suggestions for sides.

    • Add a simple salad with dressing like vegan strawberry spinach salad
    • Serve it with roasted vegetables on the side
    • Enjoy the pasta with vegan garlic bread
    • Or for dessert add a simple vegan fruit salad with lime juice or oil-free vegan chocolate mug cake

    Variations

    The delicious creamy tomato pasta dish can be served as is, or try one of these variations.

    • Try adding fresh spinach when you add the pasta so it can wilt
    • Stir in already roasted or steamed vegetables
    • Add sliced olives
    • To make it a little cheesy, stir in nutritional yeast
    • Add a can of drained white beans
    • Top with cashew plant-based parmesan
    • For a little heat add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
    • Add fresh cracked black pepper to taste

    Tips

    • For more flavorful pasta, generously salt the pasta water.  The pasta does not absorb all of the salt in the water, only a portion of it.  
    • If you prefer a thinner cashew tomato pasta sauce or the sauce has thickened too much, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.  Add as much as you need to thin out the tomato sauce.
    • To cook the onion and garlic without oil, add a tablespoon of water at a time to prevent them from burning.  Having a small dish of water nearby is handy.
    • Cook the tomato sauce with the lid on to prevent too much evaporation.  

    Instructions

    To make this creamy tomato pasta sauce, preheat a non-stick large pan on medium heat and cook the finely diced onion with a pinch of salt.  Lower the heat and slowly cook the onion until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the onions start to stick. (Or cook the onions with a neutral-tasting oil).

    Cooked onions and garlic in a pan.

    Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions.  Cook for about 1 minute. If the tomato sauce is sticking and clumping, add a tablespoon of water to thin out.

    Cooked onions coated in tomato paste in a pan.

    Add the two cans of diced tomatoes, don’t drain them. Use a wooden spoon to scrape off any cooked-on bits from the pan when you add the diced tomatoes.  Stir in the dried basil, dried oregano, and salt. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and gently simmer covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Leave it covered to prevent too much evaporation.

    Uncooked diced tomatoes added to the pan.

    Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions in salted water until it’s al dente.  To make the creamy sauce, blend the drained-soaked cashews with ½ cup of water until smooth. 

    Cashew cream blended in a blender.

    Once the tomatoes have gently simmered for 15 minutes stir in the cashew cream to the tomato sauce.

    Add cashew cream to cooked tomatoes in a pan.

    When the pasta is done, drain, and add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir to combine, coat the pasta, and warm through.  Serve quickly so the pasta sauce doesn't thicken too much. 

    Add pasta to the cooked tomatoes and cashew cream.

    Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.  Serve with fresh chopped basil.

    Storage

    The easy vegan pasta recipe can be stored in an airtight container for about 4-5 days.  The tomato cashew cream sauce may dry out some after being chilled in the refrigerator.  To thin out the tomato sauce when reheating add a tablespoon or two of water depending on how much you're serving.

    Related recipes

    • Vegan Southwest Pasta
    • Creamy lemon tahini pasta with sundried tomatoes and kale in a bowl.
      Lemon Tahini Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes
    • Tahini soba noodles in a bowl with a fork.
      Creamy Tahini Soba Noodles
    • Vegan peanut sauce noodles in a bowl with a lime wedge.
      Vegan Peanut Noodles with Vegetables
    Vegan creamy tomato pasta in a white bowl.

    I hope you enjoy this delicious creamy vegan tomato sauce recipe! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

    Print

    Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Vegan creamy tomato pasta in a white bowl with basil.

    Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    • Author: Allie
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    This vegan creamy tomato pasta combines cashew cream, canned diced tomatoes, and fresh basil to create a comforting pasta dinner.  The recipe uses simple ingredients and comes together quickly.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 large onion, finely diced
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
    • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 cans (14.5 ounces each (411 g)) diced tomatoes
    • 1 teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
    • ½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
    • 4 cups (336 g) uncooked pasta
    • Fresh chopped basil for serving

    Instructions

    1. For oil-free cooking, preheat a non-stick pan to medium and cook the finely diced onion with a pinch of salt.  Lower the heat and slowly cook the onion until translucent, about 8-10 minutes.  Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the onions start to stick. (Or cook the onions with a neutral-tasting oil).
    2. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
    3. Then stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions.  Cook for about 1 minute.
    4. Add the two cans of diced tomatoes, don’t drain them.  Then use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
    5. Then stir in the dried basil, dried oregano, and salt.
    6. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    7. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions in salted water.  
    8. Blend the soaked cashews with ½ cup of water until smooth.  Add the cashew cream to the tomato sauce right before adding the cooked pasta.
    9. Add the cooked pasta to the tomato sauce and stir to coat the pasta.
    10. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.  Serve with fresh chopped basil.

    Notes

    For more flavorful pasta, salt the pasta water.

    Cook the tomato sauce with the lid on to prevent too much evaporation.

    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Category: main course
    • Method: stovetop
    • Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @threelittlechickpeasblog on Instagram and hashtag it #threelittlechickpeasblog

    More Vegan Main Courses

    • A beet Buddha bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, greens, shredded carrots, cooked broccoli, cooked beets, and a tahini dijon mustard dressing.
      Beet Buddha Bowl
    • Buffalo tofu bowl with rice, shredded carrots, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and a dairy-free ranch dressing.
      Buffalo Tofu Bowl
    • Baked buffalo tofu bites on a plate with celery sticks and a bowl of vegan ranch dressing.
      Buffalo Tofu Bites (Vegan and Oil-Free)
    • Vegan rice salad with broccoli, tomatoes, and chickpeas in a bowl.
      Vegan Rice Salad with Chickpeas and Broccoli

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Casey

      October 17, 2022 at 6:22 pm

      So easy and quick! Thanks it turned out great!

      Reply
      • Allie

        October 17, 2022 at 10:16 pm

        I'm glad you liked the recipe and thanks for leaving a comment!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    picture of Allie

    Hi, I'm Allie! I love cooking and I want to share my simple plant-based meals with you. Eating this way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Just simply delicious!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Overnight oats with flaxseed in a jar with raisins.
      Basic Overnight Oats with Flaxseed
    • Oat milk hot chocolate with coconut whip in a white mug.
      Hot Chocolate with Oat Milk
    • Buffalo chickpea dip in glass dish with chopped parsley.
      Buffalo Chickpea Dip (Vegan)
    • Flax seed pudding with banana and strawberries in a jar with diced strawberries on top.
      Easy Flaxseed Pudding

    Recent

    • A bowl with stewed tomato chickpeas, couscous, and diced cucumbers.
      Spiced Chickpea Couscous Bowl
    • Balsamic pickled onions in a glass jar.
      Balsamic Pickled Onions
    • Orzo vegetable soup in a white bowl with chopped parsley and a spoon.
      Vegetable Orzo Soup
    • Vegan baked pumpkin oatmeal in a white baking dish with chopped walnuts on top.
      Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (Dairy-Free and Oil-Free)
    picture of Allie

    Hi, I'm Allie! I love cooking and I want to share my simple plant-based meals with you. Eating this way doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Just simply delicious!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Overnight oats with flaxseed in a jar with raisins.
      Basic Overnight Oats with Flaxseed
    • Oat milk hot chocolate with coconut whip in a white mug.
      Hot Chocolate with Oat Milk
    • Buffalo chickpea dip in glass dish with chopped parsley.
      Buffalo Chickpea Dip (Vegan)
    • Flax seed pudding with banana and strawberries in a jar with diced strawberries on top.
      Easy Flaxseed Pudding

    Recent

    • A bowl with stewed tomato chickpeas, couscous, and diced cucumbers.
      Spiced Chickpea Couscous Bowl
    • Balsamic pickled onions in a glass jar.
      Balsamic Pickled Onions
    • Orzo vegetable soup in a white bowl with chopped parsley and a spoon.
      Vegetable Orzo Soup
    • Vegan baked pumpkin oatmeal in a white baking dish with chopped walnuts on top.
      Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal (Dairy-Free and Oil-Free)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Resources
    • About Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2024 Three Little Chickpeas

    Copyright © 2025 Three Little Chickpeas on the Foodie Pro Theme

    Vegan creamy tomato pasta in a white bowl with basil and vegan parmesan.