Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce

Name: Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pints cherry tomatoes; 1 yellow onion (sliced into wedges); 1 medium sweet potato (cut into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups)); 6 garlic cloves (unpeeled); Drizzle of olive oil (or balsamic vinegar); Salt and black pepper (to taste); 16 ounces silken tofu ((1 packet)); 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons white miso ((mellow) dissolved in 2 tablespoons water); ¼ cup nutritional yeast; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper; ½ cup basil leaves (chopped, for garnish); 16 ounces dry pasta (cooked al dente (whole grain or legume))

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Get ready to meet your new go-to pasta sauce! This creamy vegan Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce blends the natural sweetness of roasted veggies with a rich, savory flavor that’s completely irresistible. Made with simple, wholesome ingredients and ready in just 25 minutes, it’s a budget-friendly option perfect for busy weeknights. Treat your family to a delicious dinner that’s as quick to prepare as it is to enjoy!

Healthy Sweet Potato & Miso sauce with bow-tie pasta in a bowl.

This vegan pasta sauce is the ultimate comfort food, packed with the vitamin A goodness of sweet potato, a boost of vitamin B12 from nutritional yeast, and plant-based protein from tofu. Creamy, dairy-free, and irresistibly delicious—it’s a dish you’ll crave all season long! Top with my Chickpea Breadcrumbs for more protein and a delectable crunch.

This was inspired by my Chickpea Miso Pasta Soup on this site and pairs well with these amazing Crispy Roasted Chickpeas.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients & Health Benefits
🍠 Substitutions & Variations
📖 How to Make Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce
✔️ Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🛒 Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
🍽️ Related Recipes
🫙 High-Protein Toppings
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients & Health Benefits

Ingredients for making Healthy Sweet Potato Pasta with Miso.

Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), which is important for vision, immune function, and skin health. They are also a good source of fiber, which helps with digestion, blood sugar control, and reducing the risk of heart disease. Additionally, sweet potatoes have a low glycemic index when prepared properly, making them a great option for those managing blood sugar levels.
Cherry tomatoes are packed with lycopene, the phytonutrient that gives them their vibrant red color and serves as one of the most powerful antioxidants. Interestingly, cooking tomatoes makes lycopene even more bioavailable by breaking down the cell walls, which helps your body absorb it more easily. That’s why this Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce, made with roasted tomatoes, not only delivers incredible flavor but also boosts your intake of this healthful nutrient.
Onion and garlic increase the absorption of zinc and iron and add a delicious flavor when roasted.
Silken tofu adds protein and creaminess to the sauce.
Red wine vinegar balances the flavors and adds a tangy, slightly sweet acidity to a sauce, enhancing its depth.
White (mellow) miso is made from fermented soybeans, it's not only delicious but also packed with probiotics, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, miso is a healthier alternative to salt, as it doesn’t raise blood pressure like regular salt does!
Nutritional yeast adds a rich, savory, cheese-like flavor and helps thicken dressings. If you are looking to boost your B vitamin intake, opt for fortified nutritional yeast, which often includes B12. (See my brands for fortified and unfortified here.)
Crushed red pepper contains capsaicin, a compound that activates a special receptor in the body called TRPV1. This receptor helps improve fat burning, insulin use, and overall health, with studies showing that small amounts of capsaicin can support weight management, diabetes control, and heart health by enhancing how the body processes energy.
Fresh basil leaves are rich in antioxidants. Basil contains compounds like eugenol, flavonoids, and beta-carotene that fight free radicals, protecting cells from damage.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🍠 Substitutions & Variations

Sweet potato - instead of sweet potato, you can use butternut squash
Tofu - use 1 cup soaked cashews instead of tofu if preferred
Fresh herbs - Add fresh thyme or rosemary leaves to the veggies for baking

See this high-fiber Easy Vegan Pasta Sauce Recipe made with sweet potato on my website, as well as this Chickpea Pasta with Garlic and Herbs! For more easy and healthy pasta recipes, see my Vegan Pasta Recipes page.

📖 How to Make Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce

This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.

Cherry tomatoes, yellow onion wedges, chopped sweet potato, and garlic cloves tossed with olive oil in a baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Place the veggies in a baking dish. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (Do not peel the garlic cloves for baking.)

Bake them for about 25 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Then squeeze the garlic cloves from their outer skins into a blender. Discard the skins.

Blend: Transfer the roasted veggies to the blender with the garlic. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Heat the sauce in a medium saucepan, as needed. Serve the desired amount of sauce with your cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh basil.

Two cooked sweet potatoes in a glass storage container.

For more gut-healthy resistant starch and an even lower glycemic index, use Diabetic Sweet Potatoes to make Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce.

✔️ Expert Tips

Blending: This recipe does not require a high-speed blender. A regular blender will work just as well. However, I highly recommend owning a high-speed blender. It comes in handy for blending nuts and other hard foods. It's worth every penny.
Roasting whole garlic cloves in their skins gives the garlic a slightly sweet and less pungent flavor. The cooked garlic cloves slide easily from their skins.
Storage: Refrigerate any leftover Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

What are good substitutes for nutritional yeast?

Good substitutes for nutritional yeast include vegan parmesan, which provides a cheesy flavor, or a mix of dried oregano and paprika for a savory touch. Dried shiitake mushrooms can add an umami-rich taste, while brewer's yeast offers a similar nutritional profile. Yeast extract spreads like Marmite or Vegemite are also great alternatives for a bold, umami flavor.

What Is the best pasta to serve with sweet potato pasta sauce?

When serving sweet potato pasta sauce, choose a pasta that complements its creamy, flavorful texture. Whole-wheat pasta is an excellent choice, offering a hearty, nutty flavor and added fiber and nutrients. Chickpea or other legume-based pastas are great for boosting plant-based protein, making the dish even more satisfying. Soba noodles bring a slightly earthy taste and pair wonderfully with the sauce’s natural sweetness. Quinoa noodles are another nutrient-dense option with a mild flavor that lets the sauce shine. For a lighter option, vegetable noodles like zucchini or sweet potato spirals add freshness and texture while keeping the dish wholesome. Even classic white pasta works well for a traditional comfort-food vibe!