Vegan creamy roasted red pepper pasta with a silky cashew sauce and smoky charred peppers in 30 minutes. ♡
This vegan creamy roasted red pepper pasta tastes like a steakhouse vodka sauce with zero dairy. Sweet jarred roasted red peppers blend with soaked cashews and a hit of nutritional yeast for a silky orange sauce that clings to every twirl of pasta. For more ideas, see our Vegan Thai Red Curry.
Plant based comfort food that fools the omnivores. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- 12 oz rigatoni or penne
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water 15 minutes
- 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, torn, for garnish
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional
How to Make Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- **Boil.** Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 1 minute under package time, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- **Soften.** Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- **Bloom.** Add tomato paste and smoked paprika. Cook 90 seconds until the paste darkens and smells sweet.
- **Blend.** Drain cashews. Combine cashews, roasted red peppers, the cooked aromatics, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend on high 2 minutes until silky smooth.
- **Combine.** Pour the sauce back into the skillet. Stir in nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Simmer 2 minutes.
- **Toss.** Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat, splashing in pasta water as needed for a glossy sauce.
- **Serve.** Top with torn basil and red pepper flakes.
Why This Recipe Works
Blending soaked cashews with the roasted red peppers replaces heavy cream completely. Cashews bring fat content and a neutral creamy base that mimics the mouthfeel of dairy almost exactly, and the natural mild sweetness pairs perfectly with the smoky pepper flavor for a sauce that reads luxurious without any cow involved.
Using jarred roasted red peppers is the smart shortcut that builds depth in 5 minutes. Roasting your own peppers takes 45 minutes, but the jarred version is already charred and packed in oil, which means concentrated smoky flavor and zero prep time. Look for piquillo or fire roasted varieties for the boldest taste.
Nutritional yeast does the heavy lifting for that parmesan finish. Nutritional yeast is loaded with glutamates that read as savory umami on the tongue, the same taste compound that makes aged cheese so addictive. Two tablespoons stirred in at the end gives the sauce that classic italian cheesy backbone with no dairy at all. For more ideas, see our Vegan Crispy Buffalo Chickpeas.
Tips
- Soak cashews in hot water for 15 minutes if you forgot to soak overnight.
- Use a high powered blender for the silkiest sauce. A regular blender works with a longer run.
- Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining. A splash loosens the sauce if it tightens.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of plant milk to bring the sauce back creamy.
- Common mistake: do not under blend the sauce. 2 minutes minimum for that silky restaurant texture.
Variations
- Add 2 cups baby spinach in the last minute for a green boost.
- Stir in 1/2 cup white beans for a protein hit.
- Top with crispy chickpeas for crunch.
- Add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika to the sauce for extra smoke.
- Use sun dried tomatoes blended with the peppers for a tuscan twist.
- Top with vegan parmesan and red pepper flakes for serving.
Looking for more recipes? Try our Vegan Chocolate Chia Pudding or Cheesy Garlic Bread Chicken next.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the cashew soak: Hard cashews blend gritty. Hot soak 15 minutes minimum or overnight.
- Using raw red peppers: Raw peppers taste sharp and watery. Jarred roasted or charred fresh delivers the deep sweet flavor.
- Skipping the nutritional yeast: It is the cheesy umami backbone. Without it the sauce tastes flat and one note.
- Boiling pasta until mushy: Cook 1 minute under package time. The pasta finishes in the sauce and absorbs flavor.
Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- **Boil.** Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 1 minute under package time, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- **Soften.** Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- **Bloom.** Add tomato paste and smoked paprika. Cook 90 seconds until the paste darkens and smells sweet.
- **Blend.** Drain cashews. Combine cashews, roasted red peppers, the cooked aromatics, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend on high 2 minutes until silky smooth.
- **Combine.** Pour the sauce back into the skillet. Stir in nutritional yeast and lemon juice. Simmer 2 minutes.
- **Toss.** Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat, splashing in pasta water as needed for a glossy sauce.
- **Serve.** Top with torn basil and red pepper flakes.
Notes
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on plant based protein.
