8 creamy vegan pastas that even non-vegans will devour

Creamy pasta is comfort food with a passport.

It travels well—from weeknight “what’s in the pantry?” to dinner party showstopper—without needing dairy or meat to wow the crowd.

I’ve cooked these eight on repeat for friends who swear they’re “not into vegan food,” and they always go back for seconds.

Let’s dive in.

1. Cashew alfredo with garlicky mushrooms

I used to think alfredo was off-limits without cream.

Then I tried blending soaked cashews with hot starchy pasta water, and my skepticism evaporated faster than butter in a hot pan.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz fettuccine or linguine
• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water 20–30 minutes, drained)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
• 1 ½ cups hot pasta water (reserve more as needed)
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• ½ tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• Fresh black pepper, parsley, lemon juice (optional)

Directions

1. Cook pasta in well-salted water. Reserve at least 2 cups of the starchy water before draining.
2. Blend soaked cashews with 1 ½ cups hot pasta water, 2 cloves garlic, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, and a squeeze of lemon until silky smooth. Adjust with more water to hit a pourable cream consistency.
3. Sauté mushrooms in olive oil over medium-high heat until browned. Add remaining garlic for 30 seconds.
4. Toss pasta with mushrooms and cashew cream over low heat until glossy and clinging. Season with pepper and parsley.

Tip: A little lemon brightens the richness without turning the sauce “lemony.” If you like a buttery finish, swirl in a tablespoon of vegan butter.

2. Sun-dried tomato vodka penne

I’ve mentioned this before, but I rely on pantry “flavor bombs” like sun-dried tomatoes. They bring concentrated umami that non-vegans love.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz penne
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (plus 1 tbsp oil from the jar)
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• ¼ cup vodka
• 1 cup tomato puree or passata
• ¾–1 cup cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt, pepper, fresh basil

Directions

1. Sauté onion in 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil until translucent; add garlic and pepper flakes.
2. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, then deglaze with vodka; simmer 1 minute.
3. Add tomato puree and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cashew cream (or coconut milk) and nutritional yeast; season.
4. Toss with al dente penne and a splash of pasta water until the sauce hugs every ridge. Finish with basil.

Swap: If avoiding nuts, use oat-based cream and an extra spoon of tomato paste for body.

3. Roasted red pepper rigatoni

Roasted peppers make a vivid, sweet-savory sauce that tastes restaurant-level with very little effort.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz rigatoni
• 1 (12-oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
• ½ cup cashews (soaked) or ½ block silken tofu
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1–1 ½ cups hot pasta water
• Fresh parsley, black pepper

Directions

1. Blend peppers, cashews (or tofu), olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt, and nutritional yeast with 1 cup pasta water until creamy.
2. Warm sauce in a skillet; add cooked rigatoni and more water as needed for a glossy, spoon-coating consistency.
3. Top with parsley and black pepper.

Make-ahead: The sauce keeps 3 days chilled. Reheat gently with a splash of water.

4. Lemon-basil cream with sweet peas

This one is spring in a bowl. The trick is balancing bright lemon with a plush base.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz spaghetti
• 1 cup peas (frozen is great)
• 1 cup cashew cream (see recipe #1) or unsweetened soy cream
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 small bunch basil, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti; add peas to the pot for the final 2 minutes. Reserve pasta water.
2. Warm olive oil in a pan; add garlic 30 seconds. Stir in cashew cream, lemon zest, and half the juice.
3. Toss in pasta and peas with splashes of pasta water until silky. Stir through basil off the heat and adjust with remaining lemon to taste. Season generously with pepper.

Note: Don’t let the sauce boil after adding lemon; gentle heat keeps it smooth.

5. Spinach-artichoke stuffed shells

Imagine your favorite party dip turned into dinner. The baked shells get bubbly and irresistible.

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

• 20–24 jumbo pasta shells
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
• 1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 cup store-bought or homemade vegan ricotta (tofu or almond-based)
• ½ cup thick cashew cream
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 ½ cups marinara
• Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Boil shells to very al dente (they’ll bake more).
2. Mix spinach, artichokes, ricotta, cashew cream, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread ¾ cup marinara in a baking dish. Stuff shells with the mixture, nestle in the dish, and spoon over remaining marinara.
4. Cover and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes; uncover and bake 5–10 more until bubbling.

Serve with: A crisp salad and extra chili flakes for the spice-inclined.

6. Pumpkin-sage fettuccine

This is autumn cozy in under 30 minutes. The pumpkin adds velvet texture without screaming “squash.”

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz fettuccine
• 1 tbsp vegan butter or olive oil
• 8–10 fresh sage leaves, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• ¾ cup unsweetened plant milk or cashew cream
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp white miso (optional but excellent umami)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper
• Toasted walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Cook pasta.
2. In a skillet, melt vegan butter; crisp the sage for 30–60 seconds. Add garlic briefly.
3. Whisk in pumpkin, plant milk, nutritional yeast, miso, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Loosen with pasta water.
4. Toss with pasta until glossy. Top with extra sage and toasted walnuts.

Pro move: Use a splash of white wine to deglaze before adding pumpkin for more depth.

7. One-pot creamy tomato gnocchi with white beans

When friends drop by, I make this. It’s minimal dishes, maximum payoff.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 lb shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi (vegan)
• 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained
• ½ cup unsweetened oat cream or cashew cream
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt, pepper, handful of baby spinach or arugula

Directions

1. Sauté garlic, seasoning, and pepper in oil for 30–60 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes and broth; bring to a simmer. Stir in gnocchi and cook 3–4 minutes.
3. Fold in beans, then cream and nutritional yeast. Add greens to wilt. Season to taste.

Finish: A drizzle of good olive oil makes it feel fancy with zero effort.

8. Truffle cauliflower cavatappi

If you think cauliflower can’t be luxurious, this will change your mind. The sauce is shockingly silky.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 12 oz cavatappi
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup unsweetened plant milk
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp white miso or ½ tsp Dijon
• ½–1 tsp truffle oil (to taste)
• Salt and black pepper
• Chives or parsley

Directions

1. Boil cauliflower in salted water until very tender (7–10 minutes). Scoop out, then use the same water to cook pasta. Reserve pasta water.
2. Sauté onion in olive oil until soft; add garlic.
3. Blend cauliflower with sautéed aromatics, plant milk, nutritional yeast, miso/Dijon, and ¾ cup pasta water until velvety.
4. Warm the sauce in a skillet, add pasta, and finish with a few drops of truffle oil (it’s potent!). Season and top with herbs.

Balance: Start with less truffle oil—you can always add more, but you can’t take it away.

Pantry notes and tiny techniques that make these sing

• Salt your water like the ocean. Pasta is your sponge; season it early so the sauce doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting.

• Starchy pasta water is your best friend. It helps sauces emulsify and cling beautifully to noodles (you’ll see me use it in every recipe).

• Build umami without animal products. Sun-dried tomatoes, miso, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, charred onions, and a touch of soy sauce or tamari can add savoriness that reads “comforting” to everyone.

• Finish with acid and fat. A squeeze of lemon and a little olive oil or vegan butter at the end “rounds” flavors and gives that restaurant gloss.

Make it your own (and feed all kinds of eaters)

Cooking for a mix of eaters? I do it all the time.

I set a “toppings bar” on the table—chili flakes, toasted nuts, extra basil, lemon wedges, and olive oil—so everyone dials in their bowl.

If someone insists on a meaty add-in, I’ll offer roasted mushrooms or a plant-based sausage on the side so the base recipe stays inclusive.

Final thought

Creamy, cozy, twirlable bowls don’t need dairy to be crave-worthy. Pick one of these tonight, keep your pasta water, and let the sauce do the talking.