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This vegan version of Marry Me Pasta lives up to its name! Tender pasta folded into a rich, sun-dried tomato cream sauce infused with vegan parmesan, garlic, and fresh basil. This vegan pasta recipe is ready to eat in less than an hour!
Table of Contents
A Vegan Twist on the Viral Marry Me Chicken
If you haven’t seen the Viral Marry Me Chicken and the many “Marry Me” recipe variations that have followed, well, we’re surprised! “Marry me” recipes are a big trend on social media right now, and of course, we had to bring you our twist on the marriage proposal-worthy dish!
The pasta sauce is just as rich and luxurious as our Vegan Penne alla Vodka, but with the tanginess of our Vegan Tuscan Chicken Pasta. Combined with tender pasta in every bite, this marry-me pasta dish will knock your socks off!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Raw cashews: Most marry me pasta sauce recipes are rich and creamy with heavy cream. We find the best plant-based swap to be cashew cream. We’ll teach you how to make it with a simple blend of raw cashews and liquid!
- Pasta: Any pasta of choice will work. If you are gluten-free, opt for your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Vegan butter: Combined with sun-dried tomato oil to sauté the aromatics and infuse the dish with deep flavor. Trust us, it adds so much flavor to the final dish!
- Sun-dried tomatoes: In addition to sun-dried tomato oil, we’re adding roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes for a boost of bright tanginess and mild sweetness.
- Aromatics: Shallots and garlic are the flavor foundation of this pasta sauce. For the best flavor, use fresh garlic!
- Seasonings: You’ll need paprika, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Flour: Helps to thicken the creamy pasta sauce and adds a luxurious mouthfeel. If you are gluten-free, opt for a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend. We use Bob’s Red Mill in most of our gluten-free recipes and highly recommend it!
- Vegan chicken broth: Adds additional savoriness and umami flavor. If vegan chicken broth isn’t available, vegetable broth works as a great substitute.
- Vegan parmesan: Use store-bought or homemade vegan parmesan cheese. We like the store-bought brands Violife and Follow Your Heart. Or opt for nutritional yeast, which will add a similar cheesy flavor.
- Fresh basil: Brightens the overall dish with a pop of color and freshness. We love it folded into the pasta dish and used as an additional garnish.
Optional Add-ins
This pasta recipe is delicious on its own but can be customized with optional add-ins. Give it a protein boost by adding Crispy Tofu, vegan chicken strips, Italian-seasoned Tempeh, or Vegan Chicken Parmesan.
You can also boost the nutrition by adding your favorite sautéed veggies. Try mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach or kale, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, or broccoli!
Equipment Needed
- Medium bowl
- High-speed blender
- Large pot
- Dutch oven
- Colander
- Spatula or wooden spoon
How to Make Vegan Marry Me Pasta
- Soak the cashews. Add the cashews to a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the cashews soak for at least 20 minutes or overnight to soften.
- Make the cashew cream. Drain the soaked cashews and add to a high-speed blender along with the water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the vegan butter and sun-dried tomato oil (or olive oil) in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and salt and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the flour and stir until a thick paste forms. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the vegan chicken broth, blended cashew cream, and sun-dried tomatoes, and stir. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the drained pasta, ½ cup of pasta water, and vegan parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce coats the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Serve. Season with freshly chopped basil, salt, and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with more fresh basil, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Pasta is the perfect pair for a side of crusty bread and a fresh, green salad. We love warm garlic bread, focaccia, garlic herb dinner rolls, or a thick slice of our No-Knead Bread.
Don’t forget to finish the meal with an Italian dessert! Our Vegan Cannoli, Cannoli Cookies, and Vegan Pizzelles would be perfect.
Storage Instructions
Leftover pasta will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Freezing is not recommended.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through. The sauce will have thickened considerably after refrigeration, so we recommend adding a splash of vegan chicken broth when reheating to loosen things up and make the sauce creamy again.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Vegan Marry Me Pasta Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan version of Marry Me Pasta lives up to its name! Tender pasta folded in a rich, sun-dried tomato cream sauce infused with vegan parmesan, garlic, and fresh basil. This vegan pasta recipe is ready to eat in less than an hour!
Ingredients
Cashew cream:
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
Pasta:
- 1 lb pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons sundried tomato oil
- 2 large shallots, diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup flour
- 1½ cups vegan chicken broth
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
- ½ cup vegan parmesan
- ¼ cup basil
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- High-speed blender
- Large pot
- Dutch oven
- Colander
- Spatula or wooden spoon
Instructions
- Soak the cashews. Add the cashews to a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let the cashews soak for at least 20 minutes or overnight to soften.
- Make the cashew cream. Drain the soaked cashews and add to a high-speed blender along with the water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the vegan butter and sun-dried tomato oil (or olive oil) in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the shallots and salt and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the flour and stir until a thick paste forms. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the vegan chicken broth, blended cashew cream, and sun-dried tomatoes, and stir. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the drained pasta, ½ cup of pasta water, and vegan parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce coats the pasta, adding more pasta water as needed.
- Serve. Season with freshly chopped basil, salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with more fresh basil, and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.
- Reheating: Microwave or warm in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through. The sauce will have thickened considerably after refrigeration, so we recommend adding a splash of vegan chicken broth when reheating to loosen things up and make the sauce creamy again.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
Absolutely delicious!