Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
If you want a delicious and filling recipe that doesn’t break your wallet, this sun dried tomato pasta is the perfect vegan main course!
One of the counter-arguments against the plant-based diet is that it can be quite expensive. And sometimes, it sure can! But truthfully, it’s possible to navigate vegan cooking in a budget-friendly way.
This sun dried tomato pasta is budget-friendly, but it also doubles as an excellent hidden vegetable recipe. No one will ever suspect that this creamy sauce contains a can of white beans and an entire head of garlic!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- To start with, it is a very simple recipe. It’s ready in an hour, and most of that time you’ll be sitting back and relaxing.
- Many plant-based recipes use cashews to create a rich, creamy texture. Unfortunately, it’s not very allergen-friendly. This sun dried tomato pasta provides a perfect alternative to nuts in order to make a delicious creamy sauce.
- It’s a perfect pantry recipe! Fresh ingredients can be more expensive, as well as difficult to store long-term. This is where canned, dried, and non-perishable ingredients like beans and garlic come in handy.
- If you are sensitive to textures, this hidden veggie sun dried tomato pasta is a great way to get some nutrients into your diet.
- Who doesn’t love pasta?! There’s no such thing as having too many pasta recipes in your arsenal.
How to Make This Recipe
I promise you, this is one of the easiest pasta recipes you’ll ever make! Start by preheating the oven to 400F.
Slice the top off the head of garlic, drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, and wrap it in a foil “parcel”. Roast the garlic in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the cloves are nice and soft.
If you’re hesitant about using the entire head of garlic, don’t worry! Roasting it makes garlic develop a mild, earthy flavor, very different to fresh garlic.
To rehydrate sun dried tomatoes, soak them with warm water for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until it is al dante, draining the liquid and reserving some pasta water (at least one cup).
Once the garlic is ready, allow it to cool down until you can safely handle it.
Carefully squeeze the cloves into a blender, along with the white beans, rehydrated sun dried tomatoes, salt, nutritional yeast, oregano, olive oil and half a cup of pasta water.
Blend everything together until smooth, and feel free to add more pasta water as needed.
Heat a pan over medium heat, add the pasta along with the sauce, and stir everything together until your rigatoni is evenly coated. Enjoy immediately!
Hack It!
- I used sun dried tomatoes in their dry form, however you can also use ones in the jar, although preferably ones soaked in water as opposed to oil.
- If you are gluten-free, this recipe works just as well with gluten-free pasta!
- If you want to pack some extra protein into your dish, why not use chickpea or lentil pasta?
- One of my favorite ways to make a creamy sauce or dressing that is also vegan-friendly is sunflower seeds. If you don’t like beans or you don’t happen to have some on hand, replace them with soaked sunflower seeds.
- If you want to elevate this dish, serve it topped with some fresh basil, balsamic glaze, and a sprinkle of lemon salt.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Super Green Pasta
- Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce
- Hidden White Bean Tomato Soup
- Vegan Tortellini Soup
If you enjoyed this recipe, you should know that the PlantYou Cookbook features plenty of easy, affordable vegan recipes just like this one! From soups and stews to desserts and party snacks – it’s a vegan cookbook that has it all! If you’re a visual learner like me, you’ll also enjoy the helpful infographics detailing ingredients for every single recipe!
For even more healthy plant-based recipes, check out the PlantYou Planner! It’s an interactive meal planner app with a huge database of beginner-friendly vegan recipes for every occasion. With over 600 recipes to choose from, you’re guaranteed to spruce up your weekly menu! The meal plans are fully customizable, allowing you to adjust the number of servings and create a menu tailored to your household. Plant-based living has never been easier!
The Recipe: Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic, top sliced off
- 15 oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 16 oz rigatoni, dry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the top off the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in foil. Place the garlic in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cloves have softened.
- If using dried sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), add them to a bowl with warm water. Allow to soak for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, cook the rigatoni until al dante, reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water before straining.
- Once the garlic is roasted, squeeze the cloves into a blender, along with the drained and rinsed can of white beans, sundried tomatoes, salt, nutritional yeast, oregano, olive oil and half a cup of pasta water. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed, adding more pasta water as needed to thin.
- In a pan over medium heat, pour in the sauce, followed by the cook pasta, and toss to coat. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
