An easy, and satisfying weeknight dinner! This vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Pasta comes together in 15 minutes and uses only 8 ingredients.
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This is just one of those recipes that took me by surprise. This Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Pasta comes together in 15 minutes and uses only a handful of ingredients, but it sacrifices nothing in terms of flavor. My taste testers (i.e., my sister and parents) were raving about this one. I hope you love it as much as they did!
Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Pasta Ingredients
Pasta: I used fusili and the sauce got into all the nooks and crannies of the noodles. Any pasta you have works, though! Reserve some pasta water for later, too.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil: Make sure they’re oil-packed for this recipe! It makes a difference in terms of the sauce’s texture. Plus, we’re gonna use a full tablespoon of that delectable oil to really emulsify the sauce.
Tahini: One of my favorite kitchen staples! It’ll lend creaminess and earthy flavor to the sauce.
Milk of Choice: You could use water, but I prefer almond milk or something similar to make the sauce extra creamy.
Nutritional Yeast: This deactivated yeast is a common vegan ingredient for creating a cheesy flavor. It’s also a good source of protein and B vitamins.
Lemon Juice: Just a tablespoon to give the sauce some brightness.
Garlic: For obvious reasons.
Salt and Pepper: To round everything out.
Tips for Success
- Salt your pasta water! Don’t be shy. As my imaginary culinary mentors Samin Nosrat and Antoni Porowski say, your pasta water should taste like the ocean. This is what makes your pasta flavorful! Never fear, most of the salt will go down the drain anyway. By allowing the pasta to cook in well-salted water for an extended period of time, it salts the pasta from within and creates perfect flavor. Of course, if you have a medical issue or have been told by your doctor to reduce salt intake, ignore me and listen to your doctor.
- Don’t overcook your pasta! I usually cook until just al dente, meaning it will be slightly firm when bitten into. If your pasta is overcooked and mushy, that will definitely take away from the overall experience.
- Don’t skip the reserved pasta water! I ask you to reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining. You’ll add the starchy water bit by bit as you combine the sauce with the noodles in order to create a perfect creamy texture.
If you give this Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Pasta a whirl, be sure to leave a rating and review. This helps enormously with Google rankings and encourages other readers to give it a try. Plus, it makes my day. You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok.
More Pasta!
- Vegan Kale Caesar Pasta with Crispy Chickpeas
- Flavor Bomb Dill Pesto Pasta Salad
- Clean Out the Fridge Green Goddess Pasta
- Goat Cheese Orzo with Spring Veggies
- Buffalo Cauliflower Baked Pasta
- Vegan Pistachio Romesco Pasta
- Spinach Artichoke Baked Pasta
Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Pasta
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
- Large Pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta of choice (I used fusili) gluten-free if needed
- reserved pasta water as needed
- parmesan cheese or vegan parmesan cheese for serving
Sun-Dried Tomato Tahini Sauce
- ¾ cup milk of choice
- ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained)
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ tsp sea salt plus more for salting the pasta water
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a generously-salted large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Be sure to reserve 1 cup of pasta water in a heat-safe measuring cup or bowl before you drain!
- While the pasta is boiling, add all sauce ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender and process until completely combined and emulsified, 1-2 minutes. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor to make sure everything comes together.
- Add drained pasta and sun-dried tomato tahini sauce back to the large pot and stir until combined, adding reserved pasta water as needed to thin sauce to your desired consistency. Serve with your favorite dairy or plant-based cheese and devour!
Notes
Photography by Hope Agresti
