The Ultimate Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta: A Rich, Wholesome Vegan Comfort Food Delight
Discover the magic of a rich, velvety, and entirely vegan roasted red pepper and tomato pasta sauce, crafted to perfection with blended cashews. This delightful dish, a true celebration of plant-based goodness, is proudly presented in partnership with Appletiser.
As the days grow shorter and a noticeable crispness fills the air, there’s an undeniable shift towards the comforting embrace of autumn. This change often ignites a craving for hearty, warming meals that nourish both body and soul. And what could be more satisfying than a generous bowl of pasta, especially when it’s brimming with incredible flavors and perfectly complemented by the refreshing sparkle of an Appletiser?
This creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta is the epitome of comfort food, ideal for winding down after a brisk autumn walk or simply when you desire a deeply flavorful and satisfying meal. Its depth comes from the careful roasting of sweet red peppers and juicy tomatoes, which develop an irresistible smoky sweetness. The resulting sauce boasts a luxuriously silky and intensely creamy texture, all achieved without a single drop of dairy cream!
The secret to this incredible creaminess lies in the ingenious use of cashews. Simply soak them in boiling water for about thirty minutes while your vegetables are roasting, then combine everything in a powerful blender. This simple step transforms humble ingredients into an awesomely rich, smooth, and utterly delicious plant-based pasta sauce that will impress even the most discerning palates. It’s a game-changer for anyone seeking a dairy-free alternative that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture.
This recipe is a proud addition to my ongoing series for Appletiser, where each month I create a recipe designed to be the perfect culinary companion to a glass of their exquisite sparkling juice. Just like Appletiser, which is celebrated for being free from added sugar, all my partnered recipes prioritize wholesome ingredients and ensure you get at least one portion of your recommended five-a-day. This collaboration highlights how delicious, healthy food and beverages can perfectly complement each other, enhancing your dining experience with natural goodness.
Our creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta sauce is bursting with nutritious vegetables. It features two large red bell peppers, a vibrant red onion, and a generous kilogram of ripe vine tomatoes. Beyond these foundational vegetables, the inclusion of cashews not only provides its signature creamy texture but also boosts the protein content, making this sauce more satisfying and nutritionally complete than many traditional pasta sauces. It’s a fantastic way to increase your vegetable intake while enjoying a truly indulgent meal.
The magic truly happens during the roasting process. By subjecting the vegetables to high heat, we unlock and intensify their natural sweetness and imbue them with a delightful smoky depth that forms the backbone of this sauce’s incredible flavor profile. To further enhance this, we also incorporate roasted garlic, aromatic fresh basil and thyme, savory nutritional yeast for a cheesy umami note, a pinch of red pepper flakes for a subtle kick, and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the overall taste. Combined with the creamy cashews, these elements create a complex and layered flavor that ensures this sauce is anything but bland!
While this pasta is absolutely wonderful served simply on its own, it also offers fantastic versatility. Imagine it paired with some perfectly grilled tenderstem broccoli for an extra dose of greens, or perhaps with some pan-fried asparagus. For those seeking additional protein, stirring through some cooked and sliced vegan sausages or adding some smoky tempeh bits would be an excellent choice. No matter how you choose to enjoy it, a tall, refreshing glass of Appletiser makes for the ideal accompaniment, cleansing the palate and adding a touch of sparkling elegance to your meal.
How To Make This Irresistibly Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta Sauce:
Creating this rich and flavorful sauce is surprisingly straightforward. You’ll start by preparing your cashews for blending, a crucial step for achieving that signature creamy texture without dairy. Place them in a heat-proof bowl, cover generously with boiling water, and set them aside. This soaking process softens the cashews, allowing them to blend into a perfectly smooth and luxurious cream. While the cashews soak, you can begin preparing your vegetables for roasting, maximizing your kitchen efficiency.
Next, arrange your vibrant red bell peppers (skin-side up), halved tomatoes (cut-side up), thick slices of red onion, and whole garlic cloves (skin on) on a roasting tray. Drizzle everything with olive oil. Roasting these ingredients until the peppers are beautifully charred and the tomatoes are blistered and bubbling will concentrate their flavors and add a wonderful smoky dimension to your sauce. This step is key to developing the profound taste that makes this pasta dish so special.
Once roasted, remove the tray from the oven and immediately cover it tightly with tin foil. Allow it to steam for about ten minutes; this process makes the charred pepper skins incredibly easy to peel, ensuring a smooth sauce. After steaming, carefully peel the papery skin off the peppers and squeeze the softened garlic flesh from their skins directly into your blender. Add the roasted tomatoes and onion. Drain your soaked cashews and add them to the blender along with fresh thyme, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, optional red pepper flakes, and a good seasoning of salt and black pepper. Blend all these wonderful ingredients until the sauce is exceptionally smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, perhaps adding a splash of water if you desire a thinner consistency. Serve this glorious sauce with your favorite pasta shapes for a truly memorable vegan meal.
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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 100 g (scant 1 cup) raw cashews
- 2 red bell peppers halved and de-seeded
- 1 kg vine tomatoes (about 10) halved
- 1 red onion peeled and cut into thick slices
- 4 cloves garlic skin on
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- a handful of fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- juice of ½ lemon
- pinch of red pepper flakes optional
- ½ tsp salt
- a good grinding of black pepper
- 500 g (17.5 oz) dry pasta shapes
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Place the cashews in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
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Place the peppers skin side up in a roasting tray, add the tomatoes cut side up and place the sliced onion and whole garlic cloves in the gaps. Drizzle with the olive oil and roast for around 45 minutes until the peppers are charred and the tomatoes blistered and bubbling.
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Cover the tray tightly with tin foil and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Carefully peel the papery skin off the peppers.
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Place the peeled peppers in a blender. Squeeze the flesh from the garlic cloves out of their skins into the blender. Tip in the tomatoes and onion.
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Drain the cashews and add to the blender along with the thyme, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pepper flakes (if using), salt and pepper.
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Blend until very smooth. Taste and add more salt as needed. If the sauce is too thick then you can add a splash of water and blend again.
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Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet then serve with the sauce.
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The sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.