This creamy tomato pasta gets its rich, decadent texture from a simple vegan swap: cashew cream! It’s a delicious, satisfying weeknight dinner for pasta lovers.
When I first made this creamy tomato pasta recipe, I wasn’t intending it for the blog—I was intending it for dinner. Sometimes I just throw together a little of this, a little of that, and make a meal out of it. You can relate, right? But this one was so good and so simple, I knew I had to share it with you. The flavours are absolutely magnificent, and that creamy vegan sauce is swoon worthy!
Why This Creamy Tomato Pasta Is the Perfect Pasta Dinner
This creamy tomato pasta is a quick and delicious dinner option that’s perfect for any night of the week! Here’s why:
- Quick to make . This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, so it’s great for busy weeknights or those days when you crave a homemade dinner, but don’t have the energy to put in a lot of work to make that happen!
- Easy to customise . Like my Creamy Garlic Pasta , Lemon Pasta , and Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta , this is the kind of pasta dish that can be eaten as-is, or bulked up with the addition of a protein or veggies. I will share some ideas later in this post.
- Rich, creamy, and SO flavourful . That’s all thanks to the simple combination of cashew cream + tomato sauce, along with a little bit of nutritional yeast for some extra cheesy flavour.
Notes on Ingredients
This creamy tomato pasta keeps it simple with a short list of ingredients! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Pasta shells – Or another pasta shape you like. For extra protein, use a legume-based pasta.
- Olive oil
- Red onion – Or yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic
- Tomato sauce – I love my Homemade Tomato Sauce , but canned tomato sauce is just fine—no need for anything fancy!
- Cashew cream – I keep Cashew Cream on hand in the fridge at all times, or you can make it just for this recipe—in that case, be sure to add a little more time to the prep when planning your cooking.
- Nutritional yeast – Vegan Parmesan (store-bought or homemade) can be swapped in instead if you’d like.
- Sea salt
- Basil – Fresh basil leaves add brightness and aroma.
How to Make Creamy Tomato Pasta
Below you’ll find a visual overview of the steps involved for making this vegan creamy tomato pasta. The full written instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Cook the pasta.
- Boil the pasta . Cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic . Heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more.
Make the sauce.
- Make the sauce . Lower the heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce, nutritional yeast , cashew cream, and sea salt.
- Add the pasta . Stir the pasta into the sauce and simmer for a few minutes to bring it all together. Season to taste and garnish with basil before serving.
Tips and Variations
- Salt the pasta water . This step is often overlooked, but adding salt to the water before boiling your pasta will make your pasta taste SO much better.
- Cook the pasta to al dente . Because we’re going to simmer the pasta and sauce together a bit at the end of the recipe, it’s important to cook the pasta only to al dente to keep it from getting mushy.
- Try it with roasted garlic . Use Roasted Garlic or Air Fryer Roasted Garlic instead of fresh garlic to add a slightly sweet, caramelised flavour to the sauce.
- Give it a kick . For a spicier version, add some red pepper flakes with the onions at the beginning of the recipe. The flakes will infuse the oil with flavour, giving your whole sauce a little bit of warmth (if you use a small pinch) or a BIG kick (if you add a lot of red pepper).
- Add some smokiness . Sprinkle smoked paprika into the skillet when you add the garlic to give your sauce a smoky flavour.
- Try the sauce with gnocchi instead of pasta . I love this Cauliflower Gnocchi !
Serving Suggestions
As always, I recommend serving any pasta recipe with my favourite Roasted Garlic Bread . It’s divine! You can bulk up this pasta by adding rinsed and drained canned white beans or chickpeas (or Crispy Roasted Chickpeas ), Vegan Chicken , or your favourite veggies (I recommend Balsamic Roasted Vegetables ).
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator : This creamy tomato pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as both the sauce and pasta are likely to lose their texture.
- To reheat : Add the pasta to a pan over medium heat and cook until warmed through. If needed, you can add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce. You can also microwave it until warmed through.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Pasta Carbonara
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
- Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta shells , 200 grams
- ½ tablespoon olive oil , 600 ml
- ½ small red onion , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 24 ounces tomato sauce , 680 grams
- ¼ cup cashew cream , 60 grams
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast , 7 grams
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , 1.5 grams
- Garnish with basil
Instructions
- In a salted pot of boiling water, cook your pasta according to package directions. When finished cooking, drain and set aside.
- In a pan over medium high heat, add the oil and heat through. Add in the onions with a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes until slightly browned.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Lower heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, cashew cream, and sea salt. Stir to combine. Add in the cooked pasta and stir to combine again. Let cook for about 3-5 minutes for the pasta to absorb the sauce, them remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve, garnishing optionally with basil, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator : This creamy tomato pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as both the sauce and pasta are likely to lose their texture.
- To reheat : Add the pasta to a pan over medium heat and cook until warmed through. If needed, you can add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce. You can also microwave it until warmed through.
This creamy tomato pasta gets its rich, decadent texture from a simple vegan swap: cashew cream! It’s a delicious, satisfying weeknight dinner for pasta lovers.
When I first made this creamy tomato pasta recipe, I wasn’t intending it for the blog—I was intending it for dinner. Sometimes I just throw together a little of this, a little of that, and make a meal out of it. You can relate, right? But this one was so good and so simple, I knew I had to share it with you. The flavours are absolutely magnificent, and that creamy vegan sauce is swoon worthy!
Why This Creamy Tomato Pasta Is the Perfect Pasta Dinner
This creamy tomato pasta is a quick and delicious dinner option that’s perfect for any night of the week! Here’s why:
- Quick to make . This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, so it’s great for busy weeknights or those days when you crave a homemade dinner, but don’t have the energy to put in a lot of work to make that happen!
- Easy to customise . Like my Creamy Garlic Pasta , Lemon Pasta , and Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta , this is the kind of pasta dish that can be eaten as-is, or bulked up with the addition of a protein or veggies. I will share some ideas later in this post.
- Rich, creamy, and SO flavourful . That’s all thanks to the simple combination of cashew cream + tomato sauce, along with a little bit of nutritional yeast for some extra cheesy flavour.
Notes on Ingredients
This creamy tomato pasta keeps it simple with a short list of ingredients! Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Pasta shells – Or another pasta shape you like. For extra protein, use a legume-based pasta.
- Olive oil
- Red onion – Or yellow onion if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic
- Tomato sauce – I love my Homemade Tomato Sauce , but canned tomato sauce is just fine—no need for anything fancy!
- Cashew cream – I keep Cashew Cream on hand in the fridge at all times, or you can make it just for this recipe—in that case, be sure to add a little more time to the prep when planning your cooking.
- Nutritional yeast – Vegan Parmesan (store-bought or homemade) can be swapped in instead if you’d like.
- Sea salt
- Basil – Fresh basil leaves add brightness and aroma.
How to Make Creamy Tomato Pasta
Below you’ll find a visual overview of the steps involved for making this vegan creamy tomato pasta. The full written instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Cook the pasta.
- Boil the pasta . Cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic . Heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more.
Make the sauce.
- Make the sauce . Lower the heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce, nutritional yeast , cashew cream, and sea salt.
- Add the pasta . Stir the pasta into the sauce and simmer for a few minutes to bring it all together. Season to taste and garnish with basil before serving.
Tips and Variations
- Salt the pasta water . This step is often overlooked, but adding salt to the water before boiling your pasta will make your pasta taste SO much better.
- Cook the pasta to al dente . Because we’re going to simmer the pasta and sauce together a bit at the end of the recipe, it’s important to cook the pasta only to al dente to keep it from getting mushy.
- Try it with roasted garlic . Use Roasted Garlic or Air Fryer Roasted Garlic instead of fresh garlic to add a slightly sweet, caramelised flavour to the sauce.
- Give it a kick . For a spicier version, add some red pepper flakes with the onions at the beginning of the recipe. The flakes will infuse the oil with flavour, giving your whole sauce a little bit of warmth (if you use a small pinch) or a BIG kick (if you add a lot of red pepper).
- Add some smokiness . Sprinkle smoked paprika into the skillet when you add the garlic to give your sauce a smoky flavour.
- Try the sauce with gnocchi instead of pasta . I love this Cauliflower Gnocchi !
Serving Suggestions
As always, I recommend serving any pasta recipe with my favourite Roasted Garlic Bread . It’s divine! You can bulk up this pasta by adding rinsed and drained canned white beans or chickpeas (or Crispy Roasted Chickpeas ), Vegan Chicken , or your favourite veggies (I recommend Balsamic Roasted Vegetables ).
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator : This creamy tomato pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as both the sauce and pasta are likely to lose their texture.
- To reheat : Add the pasta to a pan over medium heat and cook until warmed through. If needed, you can add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce. You can also microwave it until warmed through.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Pasta Carbonara
- Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
- Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta shells , 200 grams
- ½ tablespoon olive oil , 600 ml
- ½ small red onion , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 24 ounces tomato sauce , 680 grams
- ¼ cup cashew cream , 60 grams
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast , 7 grams
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , 1.5 grams
- Garnish with basil
Instructions
- In a salted pot of boiling water, cook your pasta according to package directions. When finished cooking, drain and set aside.
- In a pan over medium high heat, add the oil and heat through. Add in the onions with a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes until slightly browned.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Lower heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, cashew cream, and sea salt. Stir to combine. Add in the cooked pasta and stir to combine again. Let cook for about 3-5 minutes for the pasta to absorb the sauce, them remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve, garnishing optionally with basil, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator : This creamy tomato pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as both the sauce and pasta are likely to lose their texture.
- To reheat : Add the pasta to a pan over medium heat and cook until warmed through. If needed, you can add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce. You can also microwave it until warmed through.
Creamy Tomato Pasta with Cashew Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta shells 200 grams
- ½ tablespoon olive oil 600 ml
- ½ small red onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces tomato sauce 680 grams
- ¼ cup cashew cream 60 grams
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 7 grams
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1.5 grams
- Garnish with basil
Instructions
- In a salted pot of boiling water, cook your pasta according to package directions. When finished cooking, drain and set aside.
- In a pan over medium high heat, add the oil and heat through. Add in the onions with a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes until slightly browned.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Lower heat to medium and stir in the tomato sauce, nutritional yeast, cashew cream, and sea salt. Stir to combine. Add in the cooked pasta and stir to combine again. Let cook for about 3-5 minutes for the pasta to absorb the sauce, them remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve, garnishing optionally with basil, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator : This creamy tomato pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as both the sauce and pasta are likely to lose their texture.
- To reheat : Add the pasta to a pan over medium heat and cook until warmed through. If needed, you can add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce. You can also microwave it until warmed through.
Nutrition
Creamy Tomato Pasta with Cashew Cream https://jessicainthekitchen.com/creamy-tomato-pasta-with-cashew-cream-vegan/ June 18, 2025
If you love your heat with a side of sweet, these mango habanero cauliflower wings will blow your tastebuds away! Coated in a sweet and sticky sauce, they are unbelievably delicious and perfect for game day snacking!
I’m always so excited when it’s time to share another cauliflower wings recipe. This time: mango habanero cauliflower wings! My first vegan cauliflower wings completely blew up and went viral, but if you like your wings spicy and sweet, these are the cauliflower wings for you. They’re battered and baked, then tossed in the sauce until it coats them deliciously. They’re magical, crave-worthy, and delicious for lunch, snacks, and dinner!
What Makes These Mango Habanero Cauliflower Wings a Hit
These mango habanero cauliflower wings have the perfect balance of sweet and fiery flavours! Here’s what makes them impossible to resist:
- Versatile . Cauliflower wings make the perfect finger food for football games and parties, but you can also make them into a meal.
- Super dippable . The best part about cauliflower wings is that you can dress them up and dip them into many different sauces for endless variety!
- Lightened up . These wings are baked instead of deep-fried, making them a lighter option that still packs in some serious crispy goodness.
- Packed with flavour . Mango brings the tropical sweetness and habanero has a fantastic kick!
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make mango habanero cauliflower wings. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Cauliflower Wings:
- Cauliflower – Use a small head of cauliflower for this recipe.
- All-purpose gluten-free flour – Or regular flour if you’re not gluten-free.
- Unsweetened almond milk – Another unflavoured, unsweetened plant milk will work too.
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Crispy gluten-free breadcrumbs – Or regular breadcrumbs.
For the Sauce:
- Mango chunks – Be sure the mango is ripe and sweet! When fresh mangos aren’t in season, you can use frozen.
- Habanero peppers – You can use a milder pepper if you like (although then you won’t be making mango habanero cauliflower wings!).
- Brown sugar – Or replace with agave nectar, maple syrup, date syrup , or vegan honey .
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt
- Apple cider vinegar and lime juice – Provide acidity and tanginess to balance the sauce.
- Water or vinegar – Used to adjust the consistency of the sauce if needed.
How to Make Mango Habanero Cauliflower Wings
Making these wings is pretty straight forward. Here’s what you’ll need to do!
Cut the cauliflower into wings.
- Prepare . Preheat your oven to 450℉ and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or greased foil. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
- Make the batter . Whisk the flour, almond milk, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl and place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl.
Dredge the cauliflower.
- Dredge the cauliflower . Dip the cauliflower in the batter, coat in the breadcrumbs, and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake . Cook the cauliflower wings in the oven for 22 minutes.
Make the sauce.
- Make the sauce . Mix the sauce ingredients in a blender , then heat on the stove over low heat for 5 minutes. Adjust the consistency and flavour by adding water and/or vinegar.
- Sauce the wings . Toss the cauliflower wings in the mango habanero sauce, then return them to the baking sheet. Bake for another 5 minutes, then serve.
Tips and Variations
- Cut the cauliflower into even sizes . They’ll all finish cooking at the same time when they’re cut to the same size.
- Try another fruit . Being from Jamaica, I adore the mango in this recipe, but peaches or apricots would be fantastic too, as would pineapple.
- Wear gloves while prepping the habanero . If you decide to scoop the seeds and ribs out of the habanero to make your sauce a touch milder, be sure to wear gloves. The oils from the pepper can really burn your skin if you’re not careful!
Serving Suggestions
While you can serve these mango habanero chicken wings on their own, I like them best with a cool and creamy sauce like Vegan Ranch Dressing . You can also make them a meal by serving them with rice or quinoa in a meal bowl. Try making them into tacos or wrapping them into burritos too!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator : Store any leftover mango habanero cauliflower wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
- To reheat : For maximum crispiness, reheat the cauliflower on a parchment-lined pan in a 400ºF oven or air fryer . You can also reheat it in the microwave or in a non-stick skillet, but it won’t be as crispy.
More Vegan Cauliflower Wing Recipes
- BBQ Cauliflower Wings
- Cheesy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Wings
- Sweet and Sour Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
Cauliflower Wings
- 1 small head cauliflower , if using a large head, you may need to double the batter and sauce quantities
- ½ cup all purpose gluten free flour mix , 60 grams
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk , 120 grams
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , 1.5 grams
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , 0.5 grams
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder , 1.5 grams
- 1 cup crispy gluten free breadcrumbs , seasoned with salt and pepper OR toast your breadcrumbs slightly before using, 50 grams
Sauce
- 2 cups soft mango chunks , from 2 very ripe mangoes, about 340 grams each with seeds in the middle
- 2 to 4 habanero peppers , orange or red (green will change the colour of your sauce )or 2 tablespoons ¼ cup red hot sauce (if you want it super spicy, add up to 4 habanero peppers – I personally used 2 habaneros).
- ¼ cup brown sugar , depending on how sweet your mangoes are – start with 2 tablespoons, add as much as you need. You can also use agave nectar or maple syrup or a honey alternative, 50 grams
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder , 6 grams
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , 5 grams
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar , or regular white vinegar, 30 grams
- ¼ cup lime juice , 60 grams
- extra water or vinegar , to slightly thin out sauce if needed
Instructions
Cauliflower Wings
- Preheat oven to 450℉/230℃.
- Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silicone baking sheet or greased foil. Using a knife, remove florets from the cauliflower (aka cut off the leaves and don’t use the stems). Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces to resemble the size of wings.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten free flour, almond milk, salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl to make the batter. In a separate bowl, place the breadcrumbs. Line it up beside the batter bowl.
- Toss the cauliflower in the batter mixture one at a time, shaking off excess batter. Do not soak. Then, dip the cauliflower into the breadcrumbs to coat completely, then place onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the wings are coated.
- Bake for 22 minutes. Please ensure your oven is completely preheated and hot.
- While baking, make the sauce.
- Remove from oven. Toss the wings in the sauce (I like to use a spatula to move them around to get properly coated) then using tongs, remove and place back on the baking sheet. Bake for another 5 minutes for the sauce to soak into the wings.
- Remove from oven and eat immediately – enjoy!
Sauce
- While the wings are baking, blend your mango, habanero peppers brown sugar, garlic powder, sea salt, apple cider vinegar and lime juice in a blender until pureed. Taste test and add more sugar, vinegar or heat based on your preferences.
- In a small pot over low heat, stir all the sauce ingredients. Heat for about 5 minutes until ingredients are all cooked through. Add up to 2 tablespoons water OR apple cider vinegar (don’t add more vinegar if your sauce is already a good balance of brine) to thin out the sauce slightly if desired.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely. Taste a little bit to decide if you need more sugar or acid (vinegar) to balance out the heat; if so, add a tablespoon at a time until your desired heat. Please note that especially depending on the amount of habaneros or hot sauce you use, these wings are hot so take caution!
Notes
- Refrigerator : Store any leftover mango habanero cauliflower wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
- To reheat : For maximum crispiness, reheat the cauliflower on a parchment-lined pan in a 400ºF oven or air fryer . You can also reheat it in the microwave or in a non-stick skillet, but it won’t be as crispy.
