Vegan Rose Sauce
Happy Easter friends! How was your Easter weekend? Okay, so maybe Vegan Rose Pasta is not really that Easter friendly but when you are a vegetarian/vegan you tend to break all the food rules for holidays anyways. Like eating Mac + Cheese with Christmas dinner because… why not?
What did you eat for Easter dinner? J and I were not very traditional this year and stayed in to make homemade vegan sushi for dinner. It was sooo good! I’m by no means a sushi expert but making sushi at home is so much fun! But enough about sushi, this post is ALL ABOUT THE PASTA! Specifically, the best rose pasta I’ve ever had.
I made this recipe last week and was planning on sharing some festive no-bake cookies today but asked you on Facebook + Instagram which recipe you’d rather see first and this pasta won by a landslide. Dinner then dessert, amiright?! 😉
This Vegan Rose Sauce is SO luscious, rich, creamy and perfect. I honestly could eat this Vegan Rose Sauce with a spoon by itself. It’s that good. #SorryNotSorry #PassTheSpoonPlease
The creamy part of this Vegan Rose Pasta is made without cream or butter ironically. Before I ate plant-based I used to love cooking with lots of cream and lots of butter. I was the creamy pasta queen. I still am the creamy pasta cream just without all the cream, butter and stomach aches that seemed to always followed a dairy rich meal.
So what’re the magic ingredients in this Healthy Rose Sauce? Cashews and Pine Nuts.
Now, just here me out if the idea of adding nuts to your pasta sauce sounds totally weird. Soaking the nuts in hot water while you make the pasta (or overnight if you’re a better meal planner than me!) makes the cashews and pine nuts dissolve into creamy tomato saucy goodness when blended with the tomato sauce, garlic and herbs. If the idea of nuts in pasta sauce still seems kind of odd to you think of the role that pine nuts play in pesto – they add a nutty and luscious element to traditional pesto just like in this Creamy Vegan Rose Sauce. Yum. 🙂
I’ve always LOVED cooking but I wish I reached out of my comfort zone earlier with my cooking by trying healthier alternatives and new ingredients (like the nutritional yeast in this sauce that adds the “cheesy” element!). I actually enjoy my cooking more now than the dairy heavy sauces I used to make and eat. You definitively don’t have to be vegan, vegetarian or lactose intolerant to enjoy dairy-free pasta sauces like this Vegan Rose Sauce. All you have to be is a #PastaLover plain and simple! 😉 My partner J is not any of the above and looooooooovess this sauce. I served this twice for dinner last week & he said it’s his favorite pasta recipe yet. #BoyfriendApproved
If you look closely, I cooked the pasta with zucchini (I’m obsessed!) and sprinkled red pepper flakes and fresh parsley on top as a finishing touch. This Healthy Rose Pasta just screams Spring! Happy Pasta-ing, friends and have a wonderful week! 🙂
Vegan Rose Sauce
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A luscious, rich and creamy healthy vegan rose sauce served over zucchini and pasta. A delicious pasta for Spring and Summer that will have your entire family coming back for more!
Ingredients
- 500 grams/1 pound farfalle pasta
- 2 zucchinis, chopped
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 red or white onion (or 1 tsp onion powder*)
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or reserved pasta water
- 1/3 cup fresh basil (lightly packed) (or 1 1/2 tsp dried basil)
- 2 cups plain tomato sauce (pureed tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast*
- Sea Salt + Pepper to taste
Garnish
- Fresh Parsley
- Hot Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Soak cashews and pine nuts in boiling water for 20 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients (or soak the nuts overnight). In a large pot, cook pasta according to the directions on the box with the chopped up zucchini. Cook pasta until it is al dente.
- While the pasta and zucchini are cooking, prepare the sauce. Saute garlic and roughly chopped onions over medium high heat in vegetable broth or a bit of the starchy pasta water until the liquids are absorbed. Drain and rinse your nuts. Add the soaked cashews and pine nuts, sauteed garlic and onions, fresh basil, tomato sauce and nutritional yeast to the blender and blend until a thick and creamy sauce is formed. Add up to 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water to the sauce if it is too thick (I added 1/3 of a cup). Taste and add sea salt and pepper to taste.
- Warm the rose sauce over medium high heat and toss with the drained hot pasta and zucchini. Sprinkle with hot pepper flakes and parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
1) Substitue farfalle pasta for pasta of choice.
2) If you are in a rush, substitute fresh ingredients for dried basil, garlic and onion powder. Start with the amounts given in the recipe, taste test & add a bit more if necessary. Switch the basil for herbes de provence for a different spin on this sauce.
3) Leave out the zucchini if necessary or substitute with another vegetable (I love making this with mushrooms).
4) If you do not have pine nuts on hand substitute with 2 tbsps of raw cashews.
4) I’ve made this pasta without the nutritional yeast & it’s still delicious (but a bit less “cheesy”).
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Italian
If you do end up trying this Vegan Rose Sauce, I love seeing your delicious #CearasKitchen creations. Share it with me on Instagram @CearasKitchen and remember to tag #CearasKitchen so I don’t miss it or share it on my Ceara’s Kitchen Facebook page. Happy Cooking, friends 🙂
