This rich and creamy vegan sun-dried tomato pasta recipe is a quick and easy weeknight meal the whole family will love! And it takes under 20 minutes to cook!

I love pasta, and the creamier, the better. This sun-dried tomato pasta recipe is so easy, and it only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. This vegan sun-dried tomato pasta recipe contains whole-grain rigatoni, sun-dried tomatoes, shallots, garlic, spinach, and fresh basil in a creamy nut-free sauce.
Jump to:
Whole Grain Pastas
Despite its bad reputation, whole grain pasta possesses high nutritional content.
Whole-grain pasta is typically high in fiber, manganese, selenium, copper, and phosphorus.
Whole-grain pasta is also lower in calories and higher in fiber and certain micronutrients than refined pasta.
Fiber moves through the gastrointestinal tract undigested and helps promote fullness. For this reason, whole-grain pasta may be more effective than refined pasta in reducing appetite and cravings.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Ingredients
- Whole-Grain Rigatoni: Whole-grain rigatoni is made of unrefined wheat flour and contains iron, magnesium, and zinc. A 2-ounce serving of whole wheat pasta contains 180 calories, 39g of carbs, 8g of protein, and 7g of fiber.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I use dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, not the ones in oil.
- Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves when possible for the best flavor.
- Vegetable Broth: The vegetable broth makes the cream sauce; it has immense flavor when combined with the other ingredients.
- Shallots: Shallots have a delicate and sweet flavor with a hint of sharpness, while onions bring a more intense heat.
- Italian Seasoning: The blend of herbs in Italian seasoning usually consists of basil, oregano, and rosemary.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes is a condiment or spice consisting of dried and crushed (as opposed to ground) red chili peppers. Although this is a spicy ingredient, it enhances the flavors in the sauce and is not spicy. However, if you are sensitive to spice, add a smaller amount, taste, and adjust for personal preference.
- Spinach: I used baby organic spinach. Spinach is on the dirty dozens list, so I always buy organic.
- Oat Flour: I used oat flour as a thickener for the creamy sauce.
- Oat Milk: I chose unsweetened, unflavored oat milk because oat milk is naturally creamy.
- Nutritional Yeast: The nutritional yeast is used as a secondary thickener and to give the sauce a cheesy, savory flavor.
- Basil: I used fresh basil added at the end before serving.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose any whole-grain noodle shape.Or use gluten-free noodles for a gluten-free option.
- Use fire-roasted canned tomatoes or roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes.
- One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Substitute vegetable broth with Yondu mixed with water.
- Try leeks, or yellow onions instead of shallots.
- Collard greens, kale, or escarole replace spinach.
- Make Italian seasoning by combining basil, oregano, and rosemary. Or choose your favorite spice blend.
- Cayenne pepper is an excellent substitute for red pepper flakes. Or, if you don't like spicy, omit this ingredient.
- Any flour works well with this recipe.
- Any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk works well.
- Miso paste or soy sauce often provides the same umami flavor as nutritional yeast.
- One tablespoon of fresh herbs roughly equals one teaspoon of dried herbs. So, for example, if a recipe calls for one tablespoon of fresh basil, you need only one teaspoon of dried basil (or other herbs!)
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- Since I used dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, I chopped them dry and rehydrated them in boiling water to make them soft.
- This process only takes a few minutes, but it helps to ensure the tomatoes cook perfectly with the other pasta ingredients.
- Once the sun-dried tomatoes are rehydrated, drain them, add them to a skillet, and saute with garlic and shallots.
- In a separate pan, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain in a colander and set aside.
- In the meantime, combine the plant milk, flour, and nutritional yeast and blend in a high-speed blender.
- Set aside.
- Add the vegetable broth and stir to remove any cooked bits and pieces of the shallots, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes.
- Once the sauce thickens, add the raw baby spinach.
- As the spinach wilts, it becomes a part of the sauce.
- Lastly, add the cooked pasta and stir in the fresh chopped basil.
- Stir to combine.
Serving Suggestions
- Add additional vegetables of choice.
- I served it with vegan garlic bread made from sourdough bread I bought from Costco.
- Garnish with additional fresh basil or add parsley for a secondary fresh taste.
- Sprinkle with additional red pepper flakes if you want it a little spicier.
- Whenever I make pasta, I always serve it with a large green salad. I suggest Mango Salad, Italian Chopped Salad, or Chopped Kale Salad.
Recipe FAQs
Sun-dried tomatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In addition, they have an exceptionally high concentration of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. There has been a lot of interest in lycopene's potential benefits as an antioxidant. Some early research shows it may help protect your skin from the sun.
If the tomatoes are dried and not packed in oil, we like to chop them, let them steep in hot water or wine, and then drain them before using.
Incorporating sun-dried tomatoes into any meal is a smart way to stay healthy! These little gems are packed with nutrients and antioxidants (including lycopene) that are believed to decrease the risk of certain cancers, neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation.
Tips
- If using dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), they need to soak in hot water before adding to the pan. I suggest chopping them first, then adding hem to boiling water. Allow sitting for 5 minutes before draining.
- Always salt the water before cooking pasta.
- Bring the water to a steady boil before adding the dry pasta.
- Start by rehydrating the sun-dried tomatoes and cooking the pasta while sauteing the garlic and shallots.
- Drain the tomatoes in a colander before adding them to the shallots and garlic.
- Consider topping with vegan parmesan cheese as an added cheesy garnish.
- The pasta will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Place the pasta in a microwave and use the 'reheat' option to reheat the pasta. If the pasta appears dry, add a small amount of vegetable broth.
This vegan sun-dried tomato pasta recipe is savory and delicious. Enjoy this quick and easy recipe in under 20 minutes this week.
Vegan Recipes You Must Try!
If you love this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces whole grain rigatoni pasta or any type of paste noodle
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup shallots diced
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes If sensitive to spice, add ¼ teaspoon, taste, and adjust to preference.
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups unsweetened, unflavored plant milk I used oat milk
- ¼ cup oat flour or flour of choice
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil Additional basil for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Chop the dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes.
- Boil 2 cups of water in a microwave in a measuring cup.
- Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and place the sun-dried tomatoes into the boiling water and allow to soften for 5 minutes.
- Drain the tomatoes in a colander and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the packaged instructions.
- While the pasta cooks, saute the garlic, shallots, and softened sun-dried tomatoes in a skillet until the shallots are translucent.
- Add the vegetable broth to the skillet and bring it to a boil.
- Combine the plant milk, nutritional yeast, and flour in a blender. BLend until smooth.
- Add the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and plant milk mixture to the skillet.
- Stir to combine. Reduce temperature to simmer and stir.
- The sauce will thicken as it heats up.
- Add the spinach and stir until it wilts.
- Now, add the cooked pasta; stir to combine.
- Add fresh basil and stir.
- Serve in bowls with crusty bread, extra basil, red pepper flakes, and vegan parmesan cheese.
Notes
- If using dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), they need to soak in hot water before adding to the pan. I suggest chopping them first, then adding hem to boiling water. Allow sitting for 5 minutes before draining.
- Always salt the water before cooking pasta.
- Bring the water to a steady boil before adding the dry pasta.
- Start by rehydrating the sun-dried tomatoes and cooking the pasta while sauteing the garlic and shallots.
- Drain the tomatoes in a colander before adding them to the shallots and garlic.
- Consider topping with vegan parmesan cheese as an added cheesy garnish.
- The pasta will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Place the pasta in a microwave and use the 'reheat' option to reheat the pasta. If the pasta appears dry, add a small amount of vegetable broth.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Rachel
I love this recipe and have made it twice so far! It's become my favorite go-to meal. Is it possible to have an updated calorie count?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Rachel, I'm so glad you like the recipe. The calorie information has been updated. There was a problem with the nutritional calculator. I appreciate your patience.
Jetta
It was very good
Kathy Carmichael
Jetta, yay! Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it. Let me know if you try any other recipes.
I am excited to hear from you again.
Lesley Eblen
Hi Kathy 🙂
Can't see a quantity for the shallots?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Leslie, sorry about that. 1/4 cup shallot, diced. Thank you for letting me know.
Karen Moore
I have tried numerous times to print this recipe, however......... it won't print. Help?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Karen, I will let our tech team know so that it will be fixed shortly. Thank you for letting me know.