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Sun-Dried Tomato Vegan Pasta

Sun-dried tomato vegan pasta with rigatoni in a creamy dairy-free coconut sauce. Chopped sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, nutritional yeast, and wilted spinach coat every bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and aromatics
  • 1 lb rigatoni or penne
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
  • 3 cup baby spinach
  • 4 garlic, minced
Creamy sun-dried tomato sauce
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut cream
  • 0.5 cup pasta water
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
  • 1 Fresh basil and extra nutritional yeast for serving
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rigatoni or penne until al dente, then drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
  2. Set the drained pasta aside while you make the sauce.
Build the sun-dried tomato sauce
  1. Heat sun-dried tomato oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, then sauté garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant.
  2. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
  3. Add coconut cream, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast, then simmer for 5 minutes until creamy.
Toss and finish
  1. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen into a glossy coating.
  2. Add baby spinach and toss until wilted.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top with fresh basil and extra nutritional yeast for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: reserve at least 1 cup pasta water and add it gradually so the sauce turns silky and clings to rigatoni. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in coconut cream. For a nut-free option, this recipe is already nut-free; for lower-saturated-fat, use light coconut cream.