This 20-minute Vegan Pasta with a simple tomato-basil cream sauce and spinach will become your go-to healthy weeknight dinner. Made with just six ingredients, this foolproof, hearty pasta is full of flavor and provides about 14 g of plant protein per serving.
If you enjoy vegan pasta, this recipe joins other favorites like vegan lasagna, butternut squash pasta, and spinach-and-artichoke pasta. Delicious food that comforts the body and soul doesn’t need many ingredients or to be expensive.
This plant-powered Creamy Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta uses six simple ingredients and delivers big flavor plus a satisfying serving of vegetables.
This version is a stovetop adaptation of an earlier spaghetti-squash tomato-basil cream sauce recipe. It’s a family-friendly, hearty meal that makes enjoying vegetables easy and delicious.
The sauce is effortless: blend dairy-free cream cheese with a can of fire-roasted tomatoes (no draining), fresh basil, a pinch of salt, and a little water until smooth and creamy.
Toss that velvety sauce with 100% whole-grain penne and wilted spinach. Dinner for four comes together in under 30 minutes. For a gluten-free option, use a brown-rice or quinoa penne.
Start the year (or any week) with simple, realistic steps toward feeling happy and healthy—begin with a comforting bowl of pasta.
Creamy Vegan Pasta
Author: Alexis Joseph
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Yield: 5 servings
Category: Main Meal
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan
Description
This 20-minute Vegan Pasta with a tomato-basil cream sauce and spinach is an easy, healthy weeknight dinner. With only six ingredients, it’s a reliable, flavorful meal that’s hearty and quick to make.
Ingredients
- 16oz short-cut pasta (penne, rotini, bowtie, etc.)
- 14.5 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes (do not drain)
- ½ cup vegan cream cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, packed (plus more for garnish)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups spinach, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Reserve a small splash of pasta water if you like a looser sauce.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the vegan cream cheese, fire-roasted tomatoes (undrained), fresh basil, and kosher salt in a blender. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed, and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and lightly coat with cooking spray or a little oil. Add the chopped spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes until just wilted.
- Drain the pasta, add it to the skillet with the spinach, then pour in the sauce and stir until everything is heated through. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil and red pepper flakes if desired.