Vegan Creamy Spinach Tomato Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Rich and creamy plant-based pasta featuring fresh spinach, ripe tomatoes, and a silky cashew sauce.

# What You’ll Need to Cook:

→ Cream Sauce

01 - 120 ml raw cashews, soaked
02 - 250 ml water or vegetable broth
03 - 400 g diced tomatoes, canned
04 - 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
05 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Pasta

07 - 340 g dry pasta (such as spaghetti)
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 small white onion, finely diced
10 - 3 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
14 - 90 g fresh baby spinach
15 - 480 ml reserved pasta cooking water

# Steps to Prepare:

01 - Place raw cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 15 minutes or soak at room temperature for 3 hours up to overnight. Drain before using.
02 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add dry pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 480 ml of pasta cooking water before draining. Do not rinse the pasta.
03 - In a blender, combine soaked cashews, water or vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
04 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
05 - Stir in garlic, dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook while stirring for 2–3 minutes.
06 - Pour the blended sauce into the skillet. Lower heat to medium-low and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently.
07 - Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to coat evenly with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency. Stir in fresh spinach until just wilted and thoroughly combined.
08 - Transfer to serving plates and top with freshly ground black pepper and fresh basil if desired. Pair with vegan parmesan and garlic bread as an accompaniment.

# Extra Cooking Tips:

01 - For optimal creaminess, soak cashews longer if not using a high-powered blender.
02 - Leftovers keep up to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container and can be reheated on the stovetop or microwave.
03 - You may use up to 450 g dry pasta if a less saucy consistency is preferred.
04 - Omit tomato paste for a milder tomato flavor; its addition deepens the sauce's profile.

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