Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp 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
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 the directions on your pasta box.
Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion. Firmly smash 4 garlic cloves, peel off the skin, then mince.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large deep pan or pot and add the 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 the heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
In a blender, combine half a cup of raw cashews and 1 cup of filtered water. Blend on high for 1 minute or until fully smooth.
Pour the cashew milk over the tomato paste and onion mixture and stir. Carefully scoop out 1/4 cup of the hot boiling pasta water and add to the sauce. Stir until a smooth sauce forms. Add a few more tablespoons of hot pasta water if needed.
Once the pasta is done cooking, transfer the rigatoni noodles straight from the pot to the sauce. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of hot pasta water to the pasta to loosen it up.
Top the pasta with chopped fresh basil, a pinch of salt, and freshly cracked pepper. You can also add vegan parm or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast if desired.
