Name: Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound cherry tomatoes (organic); ¼ cup Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise. (soaked in water briefly and rinsed. If not pitted, pit with a cherry pitter.); 6 cloves garlic (sliced); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus extra to drizzle over vegan cheese); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 4 oz vegan cream cheese; 4 oz vegan ricotta; 8 oz gluten-free pasta (or pasta of your choice); ½ cup fresh basil leaves

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Have you been looking for the perfect weeknight dinner that's easy, healthy, and delicious? Well, look no further than this Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta! This simple, family-friendly meal will surely be a hit with everyone in your home. Bursting with flavor from the roasted cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic, it takes advantage of garden-fresh summer ingredients with a delicious creaminess.

Overhead view of bowl of Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta with fork and glass of white wine on a white wood surface with grey striped napkin.

This delicious and easy vegan, gluten-free pasta recipe will have you on your way to a surprisingly simple, satisfying dinner tonight. This dish is perfect for an effortless dinner for company or date night!

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Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
How to Make Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta
Expert Tips
Storage
Related Recipes
Recipe
Comments

This flavorful combination of roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives is combined with cooked pasta, creamy plant-based ricotta, and cream cheese for a nearly effortless meal.

It's no secret that I love pasta, such as this Asparagus Mushroom Pasta and this Creamy Vegan Pasta with Peas, but I wanted to make a creamier dish with tomatoes and olives.

I made a variation of a baked pasta recipe with roasted tomato cream sauce that I suddenly saw everywhere on Instagram. It became so popular in Finland that the grocery stores ran out of feta cheese; I had to make a vegan version and see what the fuss was about!

After one bite, this pasta with roasted tomatoes was declared a keeper, and we'll make it repeatedly. This recipe is a new family favorite from our kitchen to yours!

Why This Recipe Works

This tasty vegan pasta comes together quickly, making it one of those "thrown together" dishes that still taste like you spent hours preparing it.

This vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta is made with roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, Kalamata olives, vegan ricotta, and vegan cream cheese. Enjoy this indulgent pasta that's ready in just 45 minutes.

Everything melts with the roasted cherry tomato cream sauce into the most glorious combination of flavors; it tastes heavenly!

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need to make this delicious Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta:

Garlic - for flavor. The six cloves of garlic add a delicious bite of flavor.
Cherry tomatoes - I prefer organic tomatoes with a variety of colors for this dish
Extra-virgin olive oil - for roasting the tomatoes and garlic
Vegan cream cheese - I used Kite Hill plain almond milk cream cheese style spread.
Vegan ricotta - I used Kite Hill ricotta alternative made with almond milk; mixed with their vegan cream cheese alternative, it creates a tangy combination.
Kalamata olives, pitted and soaked in water and rinsed, so they're not briny. I prefer to pit the olives with a cherry pitter versus buying them pitted - they have more flavor that way.
Fine sea salt - to bring out the flavors. Add 1 tablespoon of salt (I use kosher salt) to your pasta cooking water.
Crushed red pepper flakes - for added spice and flavor
Dried oregano - if you use fresh, stir it in at the end
Pasta - I used gluten-free rotini, which held the sauce well; you can use whichever short pasta you like.
Fresh basil - to stir in at the end and top with basil if desired.

Substitutions

Gluten-free: Instead of durum wheat pasta, use cassava flour pasta or brown rice pasta, or make this dish with spiralized zucchini noodles.
Kalamata olives - Use Castelvetrano olives instead, or any other olives you like.
Red pepper flakes: Try Calabrian red pepper chile paste instead.

Variations

Try switching up the pasta with cooked vegan tortellini or ravioli.
Top with fresh herbs such as thyme or oregano; be sure to add them at the end, or they'll burn in the oven.
Try vegetables such as zucchini, bell pepper, or roasted bell pepper.

How to Make Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta

It's easy to make this vegan pasta dish, even if it is your first time!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a 9-inch x13-inch dish or an 8-inch x 11 ¾-inch dish with olive oil. I used this 11-inch baking dish.

Overhead view of fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, olives, spices, oil, and herbs mixed in a baking pan.

Step 2: Combine the cherry tomatoes, halved Kalamata olives, sliced garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, salt, crushed red pepper, and freshly ground black pepper in a baking dish. Place in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

Overhead view of small bowl filled with vegan ricotta and vegan cream cheese mixture.

Step 3: Combine the vegan cream cheese with the vegan ricotta in a small bowl.

Depending on your oven, you may need more time. Keep an eye on the cherry tomatoes. Halfway through the cooking time, take the baking dish out of the oven, stir the mixture, and return it to the oven to continue roasting.

Overhead view of cooked fusilli in a white bowl with pasta water nearby on a white wood surface.

Step 4: While the tomato mixture roasts, cook the pasta in salted water according to the directions, and reserve ¾ cup of the pasta water. You likely won't need all of it, but it is nice to have extra on hand.

Overhead view of roasted vegetables in a white oval baking dish on a white wood surface with a grey striped napin.

Step 5: Once the cherry tomatoes have softened and released their juices, remove the baking dish from the oven.

Overhead view of vegan cheese mixture placed in spoonfuls on top of roasted tomato and vegetable mixture.

Step 6: Add the vegan cream cheese and ricotta mixture in spoonfuls on top of the baked tomato mixture.

Overhead view of vegan cheese mixture mixed with tomato and vegetable mixture in a white oval baking dish.

Step 7: Stir in ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, then combine. Add more pasta water if necessary; you may need another ¼ cup.

Overhead view of pasta mixed with vegan cheese and roasted tomato and garlic mixture in a white baking dish.

Step 8: Taste and season as desired. Stir in fresh basil and serve.

Tip: Save the leftover pasta and stir it into leftover pasta when reheating.

Expert Tips

Add 1 tablespoon of sea or kosher salt to your pasta water before adding the pasta for more flavor.
Add ¼ cup to ½ cup of the reserved hot pasta water to help the vegan cheese mix more easily with the roasted tomatoes and pasta.

Side view of two bowls of Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Garlic Pasta with a glass of white wine.

Storage

Store this pasta in a shallow airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Refrigerate any leftover pasta within two hours of cooking in an airtight container.
You can freeze it for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat leftovers in a saucepan on the stovetop over low to medium heat with a small amount of reserved pasta water, water, or unsweetened, unflavored plant milk like almond milk to loosen the sauce. Cover it with foil, reheat it in the oven, and bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.

Overhead view of bowl of Vegan Creamy Roasted Tomato Pasta with Garlic.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Comments

5 from 121 votes (110 ratings without comment)