Vegan “Vodka” Rigatoni Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 4.5-oz. tube tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1 lb. rigatoni noodles or any pasta your heart desires
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- salt and pepper *i didn’t include vodka because i didn’t want to add any & to me it’s just as good without it, but you totally can if you want, just add 1/4 cup to the sauce before step 6*!
Preparation
Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat
Add a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil
Once boiling add the pasta and cook for 11 minutes or follow directions on your pasta box
Meanwhile peel and finely chop onion
Firmly smash 4 garlic cloves, peel skin off, then mince
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large deep pan or pot and add onion and garlic, cook for 7 minutes
Constantly stirring
Add the entire tube of tomato paste and chili pepper flakes (optional) and stir
Continue to stir and lower heat
Cook for 4 minutes
In a blender combine half cup raw cashews and 1 cup filtered water
Blend on high for 1 minute or until fully smooth
Pour the cashew milk over the tomato paste/ onion mixture and stir
Carefully scoop out 1/4 cup (use a heat proof glass cup) of the hot boiling pasta water and add to the sauce
Stir until smooth sauce forms
Add a few more tbsp of hot pasta water if needed
Once the pasta is done cooking,transfer rigatoni noodles straight from the pot to the sauce
Add 1/4-1/2 cup hot pasta water to the pasta to loosen it all up
Top the pasta of with chopped fresh basil, pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper
You can also add vegan parm or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast if that’s you’re jam