Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta (Vegan)

Creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta – a rich and creamy roasted red pepper and tomato pasta sauce that is totally vegan thanks to blended cashews! Post sponsored by Appletiser.

The weather has started to get a little chilly now and it is definitely feeling rather Autumnal out. I have been craving hearty comfort food and what is more comforting than a big bowl of pasta?! Especially when it is washed down with an Appletiser!

This creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta is just what you want to tuck into after a long walk on a chilly day. It has an incredible smoky sweet flavour thanks to roasted red peppers and tomatoes, and the texture is silky smooth and extremely creamy, without using any cream!

This is thanks to the magic that is soaked, blended cashews. Just cover them in boiling water for half an hour or so while you roast your veggies, then chuck everything in a blender and you end up with an awesomely rich, creamy and delicious sauce that is completely vegan!

This recipe is another in my series for Appletiser – one recipe a month for a meal that is the perfect pairing with a glass of Appletiser. Just like the delicious drink my recipes are all free from added sugar and contain at least one portion of your five a day!

This creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta sauce is packed with veggies – 2 large red bell peppers, a red onion and a whole kilogram of tomatoes. The addition of the cashews also means that it is higher in protein than most pasta sauces.

Roasting the vegetables injects them with lots of smoky sweet flavour; and I also added garlic, basil, thyme, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes and lemon juice as well as the cashews. This sauce definitely isn’t lacking in the flavour department!

The pasta is wonderful served on its own, but it would also be delicious with some grilled tenderstem broccoli on the side (gotta pack in those veggies!); I think it would also be great with some cooked, sliced vegan sausages stirred through. All this is perfectly paired with a refreshing glass of Appletiser.

How To Make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta Sauce:

Start by soaking your cashews – cover them with boiling water and set aside while you roast your veggies.

Next, roast red peppers, tomatoes, red onion and whole garlic cloves until the peppers are charred.

Cover the tray with tin foil and leave it to steam for ten minutes then peel the charred skin off the peppers (steaming them makes them easier to peel).

Drain the cashews and tip into a blender along with the roasted vegetables, thyme, basic, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Blitz until very smooth then serve with your favourite pasta shapes.

5 from 2 votes

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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta (Vegan)

Creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta – a rich and creamy roasted red pepper and tomato pasta sauce that is totally vegan thanks to blended cashews!

Course Main Course

Cuisine vegan

Keyword pasta

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 396 kcal

Author Domestic Gothess

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Cover the tray tightly with tin foil and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Carefully peel the papery skin off the peppers.
4. 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.
5. Drain the cashews and add to the blender along with the thyme, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pepper flakes (if using), salt and pepper.
6. 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.
7. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet then serve with the sauce.
8. The sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.