A simple vegan tomato basil pasta with cherry tomatoes that burst into a silky sauce, ready in 20 minutes. ♡
This vegan tomato basil pasta is the 20 minute dinner I pull together from pantry staples. Cherry tomatoes burst into a glossy sauce with garlic, olive oil, and a handful of fresh basil thrown in at the end. For more ideas, see our Vegan Creamy Cashew Pasta.
100% plant based and dairy free with the kind of bright Italian flavor that makes you feel like you are on a patio in Rome. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta
- 12 oz pasta, spaghetti, penne, or rigatoni
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes, optional
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- black pepper, to taste
How to Make Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta
- **Boil.** Cook pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- **Saute.** In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- **Blister.** Add cherry tomatoes and salt. Raise heat to medium high. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until tomatoes blister and burst into a sauce.
- **Toss.** Add drained pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss until glossy, adding more pasta water as needed.
- **Finish.** Off heat, toss in torn basil and nutritional yeast. Season with black pepper.
- **Serve.** Top with more basil, extra nutritional yeast, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking cherry tomatoes in hot olive oil until they blister and burst is what creates the natural sauce. Their skins split, juices release, and you get a silky tomato sauce without any canned tomatoes or long simmer. This technique is what delivers restaurant quality pasta in 20 minutes flat.
Reserving a full cup of starchy pasta water and whisking it in at the end emulsifies the olive oil and tomato juice into a glossy sauce that coats every strand. Without the pasta water, the oil pools at the bottom and the sauce slides off. This is the single trick that separates Italian pasta from soggy home pasta.
Adding fresh basil off heat preserves its bright flavor and vibrant green color. Cooked basil turns black and bitter, raw basil tossed in at the end smells like an Italian garden. This is why simple dairy free pasta can feel elegant and seasonal. For more ideas, see our Vegan Buddha Bowl Tahini Dressing.
Tips
- Use ripe cherry or grape tomatoes. Firmer tomatoes do not burst properly.
- Vegan swap: nutritional yeast replaces parmesan here, keeping it 100% plant based.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a skillet with a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Salt the pasta water like the sea. It seasons the sauce from inside.
- Add basil off heat to preserve its bright green color and aroma.
Variations
- Add capers or kalamata olives for briny, Mediterranean flavor.
- Stir in chili flakes for a tomato arrabbiata vibe.
- Top with crispy chickpeas for extra plant protein and crunch.
- Add white beans for a creamier, protein packed pasta.
- Swap basil for fresh parsley or arugula for a peppery twist.
- Stir in a handful of baby spinach in the last minute for extra greens.
Looking for more vegan ideas? Try our Vegan Chickpea Curry or Vegan Banana Bread next.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Under ripe tomatoes: Use very ripe cherry tomatoes. Firm or pale tomatoes do not burst properly into a sauce.
- Skipping pasta water: Reserve a full cup. The starch is what emulsifies the sauce.
- Overcooking the basil: Add basil off heat at the very end. Cooked basil turns black and bitter.
- Low heat for tomatoes: Use high heat until the tomatoes burst. Low heat steams instead of blistering them.
Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta
Ingredients
Method
- **Boil.** Cook pasta in generously salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- **Saute.** In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and chili flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- **Blister.** Add cherry tomatoes and salt. Raise heat to medium high. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until tomatoes blister and burst into a sauce.
- **Toss.** Add drained pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss until glossy, adding more pasta water as needed.
- **Finish.** Off heat, toss in torn basil and nutritional yeast. Season with black pepper.
- **Serve.** Top with more basil, extra nutritional yeast, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Physicians Committee plant based nutrition reference.
