Sun-dried tomatoes have a concentrated umami flavor that wakes up any bowl of pasta. This Vegan Sundried Tomato Pasta dish is made by roasting and caramelizing fresh and sun-dried tomatoes with bell peppers, beans, garlic, and more, then tossing the plump veggie and bean mixture with freshly cooked rigatoni. Garnish with fresh herbs and as many red pepper flakes as you'd like for an easy, cozy, stick-to-your-ribs kind of dinner any night of the week!
What is sun-dried tomato pasta?
Similar to the viral feta baked pasta (and my creamy roasted tomato pasta with silken tofu), this simple pasta dish starts by roasting cherry and sun-dried tomatoes with butter beans, red pepper, fresh garlic, salt, and olive oil until the tomatoes soften and caramelize and the other ingredients soak up the flavor.
Add them to the cooked pasta, garnish, and serve!
It's the perfect balance of warm and hearty elements with fresh and bright flavors, and is the very best way to use up a pile of cherry tomatoes quickly!
Why you’ll love this sun-dried tomato pasta recipe
- Sun-dried tomatoes are the star of the show - sweet, tender, and meaty
- Perfect balance of fresh ingredients and inexpensive pantry staples
- Easy way to use up extra cherry tomatoes or an aging bell pepper
- So satisfying and filling thanks to the beans and pasta
- Naturally creamy pasta dish due to the starches in the cooking liquid
- Super easy weeknight meal for those busy nights
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Ingredients
You really don't need too much for this recipe. Grab a few ingredients from the pantry and some fresh veggies, and you're all set! Roasting is also the ideal way to use cherry tomatoes or bell peppers that are starting to turn a little soft. You'll never know once they're roasted!
- Dry rigatoni pasta: The round, tube-like shape of rigatoni is perfect for holding the sauce, but you can use your favorite pasta shape and type of pasta (gluten-free, extra fiber, whole wheat, lentil pasta, etc). Penne pasta is a great alternative.
- Cherry tomatoes: It's best to use small tomatoes that can roast and pop open quickly.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: You'll usually either find sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or sold dry in a little plastic pouch. Either option works, but of course, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes will be softer and contain more oil.
- Butter beans: Easily the best beans! They're plump and creamy with a subtle nutty flavor and perfect for holding onto sauces. You can use any type of creamy white bean, like cannellini beans, instead.
- Red bell pepper: For an earthy, meaty flavor and extra texture.
- Fresh garlic cloves: The garlic will soften as it roast and take on a subtle sweetness.
- Salt & black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh mint and parsley
- Red pepper flakes: Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top for a bit of heat.
Bonus tip: If you get a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, save the oil for salad dressings! It has all that dried-in-the-sun flavor that makes the tomatoes so incredibly flavorful.
How to Make Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
My very favorite thing about this recipe is that it's a bake-and-go kind of dish. Roast the veggies and beans, cook the pasta, then combine the two and serve. It only takes about 40 minutes total and makes enough for the whole family (or days of leftovers).
- Preheat oven to 425.
- In a large oven safe casserole add cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, butter beans, olive oil, salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Stir well then cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. If you prefer softer veggies cook an extra 10.
- In the meantime, cook pasta in a large pot according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then reserve pasta.
- Mix pasta and reserved pasta water into the baked tomato mixture plus the fresh herbs, then top with copious black and crushed red pepper.
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- Play around with different garnishes. We like this recipe with fresh herbs, black pepper, and pepper flakes, but you can also add nutritional yeast for cheesiness, different herbs, like fresh basil, or fresh lemon juice. I'll never say no to a little balsamic vinegar reduction either.
- Make it more filling. Choose a high-fiber pasta, like chickpea pasta or a fiber-enriched option, to make it even more satisfying.
- Amp up the creaminess. I find that the starches in the pasta make this dish creamy without adding any dairy substitutes, but if you want even more creaminess, feel free to add a dollop of coconut milk or cashew cream. If you prefer a creamy sauce, try my creamy roasted tomato pasta dish. It uses silken tofu for a silky-smooth sauce and has a similar flavor profile.
FAQs
Let the pasta cool to room temperature, then transfer the leftover pasta to an airtight container refrigerate for 3-5 days. To reheat, either microwave for 3-4 minutes or warm in a skillet with a splash of water to help the sauce loosen up.
This recipe is intended to be a complete meal on its own. It has plenty of carbs, fiber, and protein to keep you full and energized. If you prefer to eat more veggies, try serving it with a side salad. The acidity of a vinaigrette would be a nice way to balance the rich, creamy flavors, too.
Not for this recipe. Technically, you can blend all of the roasted ingredients together (beans and all), but I love keeping the individual ingredients separate and finding little pops of sun-dried tomatoes or roasted peppers in each bite.
Other Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipes
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Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
Equipment
- large pot
- baking dish
- colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 15 ounce butter beans drained
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper optional
- 2 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 3 tbsp mint chopped
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- In a large oven safe casserole add cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, butter beans, olive oil, salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Stir well then cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. If you prefer softer veggies cook an extra 10.
- In the meantime cook the pasta according to the package and drain, reserve 1 cup pasta water, then reserve pasta.
- Mix pasta and water into the baked tomato mixture plus the fresh herbs, then top with copious black and crushed red pepper.
