Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (450g) dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or your favourite shape)
  • Water, for boiling pasta
  • 1 teaspoon salt, for pasta water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 (28 ounce/800g) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) raw cashews (soaked in hot water for at least 15 minutes, or boiled for 5 mins)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavour)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, soak the cashews in very hot water for at least 15 minutes. Alternatively, boil for 5 minutes for quicker softening. Drain and rinse before using. Skip this step if using vegan cream cheese.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  4. In a blender or food processor, combine the sautéed garlic and onions, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, soaked cashews (or vegan cream cheese), nutritional yeast, sugar (if using), salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  5. Pour the blended sauce into the skillet or saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld.
  6. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency.
  7. Stir in the fresh basil leaves.
  8. Serve immediately, garnished with vegan parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and red pepper flakes (if desired).