Vegan Pasta Sauce Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Easy Vegan Pasta Sauce with 6 different vegetables! Dairy-free, creamy, and freezer-friendly. Protein-rich, healthy, ready in 30 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 254kcal

⅔ cup raw cashews
3 large tomatoes (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large sweet potato (about 8 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
7 large garlic cloves peeled
Generous drizzle of olive oil
Generous dash of paprika
Generous dash of onion powder
Generous dash of dried oregano
Salt to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans or white beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked)
2 teaspoons sriracha or hot sauce
1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
3 cups vegetable broth plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Soak the cashews: Place the cashews in a heat resistant bowl or cup and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
Roast the veggies: Transfer the tomatoes, sweet potato, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, paprika, onion powder, oregano, and salt. Roast for about 25 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Toss after 15 minutes so they cook evenly.
Blend the sauce: Drain the cashews. Transfer them to a high-speed blender. Add the roasted veggies, white beans, sriracha, nutritional yeast, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth.
Heat the sauce: Transfer the sauce to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. Season with salt, black pepper, and fresh lemon juice as desired.
Add pasta: Mix in the desired amount of al dente pasta. (Makes enough for 16 ounces.)

Cut the veggies according to the recipe to minimize the cooking time. Larger veggies take longer to roast.
Soak the cashews for 20 minutes in boiling water if you do not own a high-speed blender. This makes them easier to blend.
Nut-free option: Omit the cashews and add the desired amount of unsweetened canned coconut milk to the saucepan with the blended ingredients.
Storage: Refrigerate Easy Vegan Pasta Sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can freeze the sauce on its own in a freezer safe container, or mixed with al dente cooked pasta in single serve portions. Good for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a microwave or oven (365ºF for about 15 minutes).
For reheating, add hot water or hot vegetable broth until the desired creaminess.