Vegan Tortellini in Tomato Cream

Total time40 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time25 min

5.0

(27)

Creamy, deeply savory, and genuinely satisfying, this tomato cream pasta is the kind of weeknight dinner that makes everyone at the table lean in for a closer look. The secret to that luscious, dairy-free cream sauce is blended raw cashews — just cashews and water, whirred smooth and stirred right into a rich tomato base built from caramelized onion, garlic, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Nutritional yeast adds a subtle cheesy depth that rounds everything out beautifully. Vegan tortellini can be tricky to find, but once you have it, this sauce is the perfect partner — it clings to every fold and pocket of the pasta. A splash of reserved pasta water at the end keeps the sauce glossy and loose rather than heavy or stodgy. Torn fresh basil and a shower of vegan parmesan on top are optional, but they take the whole bowl somewhere special. This one serves four and comes together in under an hour, making it an easy answer to the "what's for dinner?" question any night of the week.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the cashew cream

1 cup raw cashews
¾ cup water

For the sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar

For the pasta

18 oz vegan cheese tortellini (fresh or refrigerated)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

For serving

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
vegan parmesan, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the cashews in a blender with the 3/4 cup water and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
2
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

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