Quick and Easy Vegan Ricotta Pasta that’s creamy, refreshing and very delicious.
This simple Vegan Ricotta Pasta recipe is very easy to make using only a handful of ingredients. Yet it’s one of those easy weeknight meals that feels a little extra special. The roasted cherry tomatoes bring a lovely balance of sweetness and acidity that goes so well with the creamy vegan ricotta. It’s a rich and satisfying pasta dish that’s gonna be a new staple in your kitchen.
This pasta is great when served fresh and warm, but it makes an awesome cold meal as well. You can meal prep it for the week and enjoy it straight from the fridge or gently warmed up. It’s also a lovely option for picnics or potlucks, since the flavors hold up so well over time.
This Vegan Ricotta Pasta is:
- Fresh and light, yet indulgent
- Extra creamy
- Vegan and dairy-free
- Optionally gluten-free (simply use GF pasta)
- Quick and easy to make
- Very customizable and versatile
- Budget-friendly
- Lovely served both warm and cold
- Perfect for busy weeknight dinners
This cashew-tofu ricotta is smooth, creamy, tangy and very satisfying. It’s perfect for this pasta dish, but it’s also amazing for so many other uses. I really love to prepare a double or triple batch of it, then enjoy it throughout the week as a bread spread, or extra topping for baked potatoes, soups, or pizza.
How to make Vegan Ricotta Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
Start by cooking your pasta and be sure to save a little pasta water before draining. While pasta is cooking, roast your cherry tomatoes in the oven with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, until they’re soft and slightly blistered. For the ricotta simply blend some soaked cashews, tofu, lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil until smooth and creamy. Once everything is ready, toss the cooked pasta with the ricotta and roasted tomatoes, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Serve warm or enjoy it cold. It’s delicious either way!
Customize your pasta
Don’t like tomatoes on your pasta? Then simply skip them. Or add some green peas,spinach, zucchini, broccoli, green asparagus, sliced olives, fresh arugula, chopped pistachios, or vegan bacon to your pasta. They are all great.
Play around with the ratios of the ricotta. Make it extra tangy with more lemon juice or vinegar, or make it garlicky, or herby with extras like fresh dill or basil.
My favorites are spaghetti and linguine for this recipe, but you can use any pasta shape you have on hand.
More vegan pasta recipes to try:
- Fermented Black Bean Pasta
- Vegan Lemon Miso Pasta
- Sauerkraut Pasta w/ Smoked Tofu
- Hummus Pasta w/ Asparagus
- Vegan Baked Feta Pasta
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta w/ Roasted Zucchini
- Hungarian Potato Pasta
- Pasta w/ Kidney Bean Sauce
- Vegan Penne alla Vodka
Vegan Ricotta Pasta w/ Roasted Tomatoes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 1x
Ingredients
- 7 oz/200 g pasta of your choice (use GF if needed)
For the ricotta
- 2/3 cup / 85 g cashews (soaked overnight)
- 7 oz / 200 g extra firm tofu
- 1 lemon, juice + zest
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2–3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt, pepper
For the balsamic roasted tomatoes
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt, pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and set aside.
- Place cherry tomatoes in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F/180°C, or until they are tender and just starting to burst.
- Meanwhile prepare your ricotta. Place soaked and drained cashews, tofu, lemon juice and zest, rice vinegar, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and a generous amount of salt and pepper into a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, adding a little water as needed to adjust consistency. Taste and season, if needed.
- Add ricotta and roasted tomatoes to cooked pasta. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if needed. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
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