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    Home » All Recipes » Dinner

    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

    February 27, 2022 By Melissa Huggins / 20 Comments

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    In just 30 minutes, you can have this Creamy and flavorful Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. It's so easy to make too — just boil the bow tie pasta while you make the silky-smooth sauce. It'll be on your table in a flash! 

    Overhead view of sun dried tomato pasta in a white bowl with a fork on the side.

    Calling all pasta lovers! This Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta will make your taste buds dance! The sauce is super creamy and has a robust flavor from sun-dried tomatoes.

    Even though the sauce is creamy, it's not too heavy, so it's perfect for the warmer months. You won't believe how easy it is and it comes together so fast! Plus, the ingredients are short and simple!

    Ingredients to make the recipe on a stone table top.

    Table of Contents

    • Ingredients Needed
    • How to make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
    • Success Tips
    • Substitute Ideas
    • Flavor amp-up ideas
    • Can I make this gluten-free?
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

    Ingredients Needed

    🌟 This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

    For the main ingredients, you’ll need Farfalle Pasta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

    To make the creamy and flavorful base, you’ll need Olive Oil, Soy Milk, Garlic, Tomato Paste, Lemon Juice, Nutritional Yeast, Italian Seasoning, Crushed Red Pepper, Cornstarch, and Salt.

    For the finishing touch, you’ll need Fresh-Cut Basil and Fresh-Cracked Pepper.

    6 process photos of soaking the tomatoes and making the sauce in a large pan.

    How to make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

    This recipe is pretty easy to make and it will go quickly so make sure to have everything prepped and ready to go before you begin. Here's how to make it:

    • 1 - Rehydrate the tomatoes. Boil ¾ cup of water in a small pot, and remove from heat. Add the tomatoes and cover for 15 minutes. Drain and save the soaking water.
    • 1 A - (not pictured) Whisk the soy milk, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, lemon, and salt together in a large bowl. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente.
    • 2 - Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Sauté until garlic is fragrant.
    • 3 - Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
    • 4 - Pour in the reserved soaking water and gently simmer for a few minutes.
    • 5- Whisk the sauce again and add it to the pan. Cook until it thickens slightly.
    • 6 - When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of cooking water and drain. Add pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Add a ¼ cup of pasta water and cook down until creamy and pasta is coated, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, then sprinkle with fresh basil and pepper.
    Overhead view of sun-dried tomato pasta in a large pan. Wooden spoon inside.

    Success Tips

    Here are some extra tips to help you make the best Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta ever!

    • Different brands of sun-dried tomatoes have varied salt content, so I kept the added salt low. You can add more if needed after you taste the completed sauce.
    • Don't heat the sauce too high or it could burn. You don't want it to overly reduce either. Just gently simmer until it thickens slightly.
    • If your pasta is done before the sauce, you may want to toss it with olive oil to prevent sticking.

    Substitute Ideas

    If you don't have all of the listed ingredients, don't worry, here are some perfect substitute ideas:

    • Sun-Dried Tomatoes - you can use the ones that are packed in oil. Save 2 tablespoons of the oil and drain the rest. Use the soaking oil to replace the olive oil in the recipe. To fully replace the soaking water in the recipe, use ½ cup of low-sodium vegetable broth.
    • Nutritional Yeast - you can bump up the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons total and add 1 teaspoon of white or yellow miso paste.
    • Basil - you can also use fresh parsley.
    • Farfalle pasta- you can replace it with Conchiglie, Penne, Fusilli, or ziti.
    • Can't find sun-dried tomatoes? Learn how to make them in your oven, here.

    Flavor amp-up ideas

    This sun-dried tomato pasta has all of the flavor it needs, but if you feel like turning it up a notch, here are a few amp-up ideas:

    • For a smoky flavor, add ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke or smoked paprika. Add more to taste.
    • For extra zing, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
    • To add umami flavor, add 1 teaspoon of white or yellow miso paste.
    • For a little zip, add ½-1 teaspoon of dijon mustard.
    • A sprinkle of lemon zest for extra zing.
    • Only choose 1 or 2 of these options or it could overpower the flavors of the written recipe. You just want to enhance, not alter.

    Can I make this gluten-free?

    YES! Just switch out the regular pasta for your favorite gluten-free variety. I really love the Jovial brand of gluten-free pasta. It has the perfect texture that's similar to wheat pasta.

    Serving Suggestions

    It's perfect all on its own, but it goes nicely with salad, a piece of artisan bread, and a glass of white wine. Don't forget to top it with lots of vegan parmesan cheese!

    Overhead view of pasta in a bowl with a fork on the side.

    More pasta recipes to try

    • One-Pot Tomato Orzo
    • Vegan Penne Alla Vodka
    • Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Vegan Sausage and Peppers Pasta

    I love to hear from you

    If you make this Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 12 votes

    Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

    In just 30 minutes, you can have this Creamy and flavorful Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta. It's so easy to make too...just boil the bow tie pasta while you make the silky-smooth sauce. It'll be on your table in a flash! 
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 428kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes , sliced or chopped (dry-packed) *see note
    • 2 cups soy milk , unsweetened (or any plant-based milk)
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice , freshly squeezed
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt , more to taste (+ more for cooking water)
    • 12 ounces farfalle pasta
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic , minced
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • ⅓ cup fresh basil , chopped
    • Fresh-cracked pepper , to taste

    Recommended Equipment

    • Large Skillet
    • Large Pot
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • To rehydrate the tomatoes, boil ¾ cup of water in a small pot, and remove from heat. Add the tomatoes and cover for 15 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, but save the soaking water.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk the soy milk, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, lemon, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
    • Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just shy of al dente (according to package instructions).
    • Start cooking the sauce when there are 5-6 minutes left on the pasta cook time. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Sauté until garlic is fragrant and slightly golden. 1-2 minutes.
    • Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the soaking water to deglaze the pan. Gently simmer for 1-2 minutes.
    • Whisk the sauce in the bowl again and add it to the pan. Cook until it thickens slightly for about 2-4 minutes. Stir often and lower the heat if needed. If the pasta isn't finished, just lower the heat on the sauce or remove it for a minute. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
    • When the pasta is done, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain. Add pasta to the skillet and stir to coat. Add just a ¼ cup of pasta water and cook down until creamy and pasta is coated, about 1-2 minutes (add remaining pasta water if needed). Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Remove from heat, then sprinkle with basil and fresh-cracked pepper. Serve with vegan parmesan if desired. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Tomatoes: if you don't have dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, you can use the ones that are packed in oil. Save 2 tablespoons of the oil and drain the rest. Use the soaking oil to replace the olive oil in the recipe. This will create the flavor that the soaking water does in the written recipe. To fully replace the soaking water in the recipe, use ½ cup of low-sodium vegetable broth. 
    Nutritional Yeast: it adds a umami flavor that's somewhat cheesy and it slightly thickens. If you don't have it, you can bump up the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons total and add 1 teaspoon of white or yellow miso paste. This will add more salt, so you may want to reduce the salt in the recipe. A dash of apple cider vinegar is nice too. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!

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    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sylvia

      January 03, 2023 at 12:11 pm

      What could I substitute the soy milk with?

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        January 03, 2023 at 1:58 pm

        Hi Sylvia, you can use any unsweetened plant-based milk such as almond, oat, rice, etc. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Rebecca

      May 18, 2022 at 5:16 pm

      Pretty good recipe. The things we changed was the amount of tomatoes and the amount of farfalle We always include two full cups in the recipe, which makes for a very tasty dish with 16 oz. of farfalle. All other amouts cahnged as well.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 19, 2022 at 12:58 pm

        I'm so glad you like the recipe. Thank you for sharing your feedback and adjustments. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Jen in NM

      March 15, 2021 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      Finally put my nooch to use! You had me at the mention of sun-dried tomatoes. I used oat milk and a cup each of the tomatoes and shredded fresh basil. So good - thanks!

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        March 19, 2021 at 7:54 am

        Hi Jen! We are so happy that you loved the pasta 🙂 Thanks so much for giving it a try!

        Reply
    4. MSD

      March 10, 2021 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner. It was easy to prepare and very yummy. 🙂

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        March 12, 2021 at 7:51 am

        Hi! Thanks so much for trying out the recipe, we're so happy you like it 🙂

        Reply
      • Dianne

        April 16, 2022 at 6:27 am

        This was soooooo good!!!! I added seasoned soy curls, broken into small pieces for extra protein, and everyone loved it! I look forward to making it again!

        Reply
        • Melissa Huggins

          April 18, 2022 at 7:51 pm

          That is great, Diane! I am happy you made the recipe work.:)

    5. Chahna

      February 23, 2021 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      WOW!!!! This is incredible, so creamy but light. My whole family enjoyed, including the non vegans. We like a kick so I doubled the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes, went crazy with the black pepper and added sautéed mushrooms with garlic. I served it with steamed broccoli which was perfect to sweep up the sauce.

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        February 25, 2021 at 7:37 pm

        Hi Chahna! We are so glad to hear that the pasta was a hit! Thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂

        Reply
    6. Linda

      October 23, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gawd girl you did it again!!! Now I think this has to be my new favourite. The flavour profile for this tastes like something I would order from an authentic Italian restaurant. It dances on the edge of being just spicy enough for me to eat. I wouldn't change a thing. I cannot wait until Christmas when I make this for my son when he comes to visit. Thanks so much again for such a fab recipe.

      Reply
      • Support @ Vegan Huggs

        October 27, 2020 at 6:22 am

        Hi Linda! This is a wonderful review, thank you so much for sharing! We are so happy you loved the recipe and hope your son loves it as well 🙂

        Reply
    7. Rory

      June 08, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      It was bad in the best possible way!!! Way to tasty, very hard to end with one 2nd helping. ...Yum!😁👍

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 09, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        Lol! I'm so happy you liked it so much. Thank you for giving it a try. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Jen

      May 17, 2020 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      It’s spicy but good

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 17, 2020 at 3:45 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for giving it a try. 🙂

        Reply
        • Lisa

          February 14, 2021 at 3:56 pm

          5 stars
          I loved it!!!! This is the first of your recipes I've tried. Definitely won't be the last. Creamy but not too rich, and just enough kick from the crushed red peppers.

        • Support @ Vegan Huggs

          February 19, 2021 at 8:57 am

          Hi Lisa! We are so happy to hear that you loved the pasta! Thanks so much for giving it a try 🙂

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    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too!

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