Vegan, Gluten-Free Option, Soya-Free, Advance Prep Required, Kid-Friendly Option

Serves 4 | Soak Time: 1 to 2 Hours, or Overnight | PREP TIME: 15 - 20mins | COOK TIME: 10mins

This is a new spin on our favorite creamy tomato pasta dish. It’s on heavy rotation around here and I think you are going to love it. If you are a fan of salty and sweet flavors, like umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes, then you will love this simple yet elegant dinner dish. It’s bursting with intense tomato flavor, basil, and lemon, and it will be on the table in under thirty minutes. You can definitely save leftovers ( or double the recipe and enjoy it two nights in a row), but keep in mind that once the sauce has been mixed into the pasta, the texture won’t reheat well. Don’t despair, though! I recommend chilling any leftover sauce separately from the pasta. The next day, simply mix the sauce and pasta together and reheat, or make fresh pasta to go with leftover sauce.

INGREDIENTS For this Sun-Dried cashew cream

- 65g raw cashews
- 140ml water
- 2 or 3 medium cloves garlic to taste
- 20g oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Splash of olive oil, if needed

INGREDIENTS For this pasta

- 450g dry pasta of your choice (such as fusilli, penne, macaroni, etc)
- 142g pack baby spinach
- 40g oil-packed sun-dried leaves, chopped
- Splash of olive oil, if needed
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, to taste (optional)
- Red peppers flakes
- Herbamare or fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Vegan parmesan cheese made with cashews (optional)
- Sliced cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

METHOD

1. Make the sun-dried cashew cream: Put the cashews in a bowl and add water to cover by a couple of inches. Soak for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. (For the quick-soak method, cover with boiling water and soak for 30 to 60 minutes.) Drain and rinse.

2. In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews water, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt. Blend on high until super smooth. If you have a Vitamix, use the tamper to help the mixture blend. If your blender is having a hard time getting smooth, add a splash or two of olive oil and blend again. Set aside.

3. Make the pasta: Brings a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

4. Place the spinach in a large colander in the sink. When the pasta is cooked, carefully and slowly empty the pot over the spinach in the colander to drain. (This is a quick way to wilt the spinach.) Return the pasta and spinach to the pot and set over low- medium heat.

5. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and sun-dried cashew cream until combined. Add a splash of olive oil if the sauce seems too thick.

6. Stir in the lemon zest and vinegar (use only if you like a tangy kick) and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan, sliced tomatoes, and basil, if desired. The sauce will thicken and dry out fairly quickly, so I recommend serving the pasta immediately and not letting it sit in the pot for long.

Make it gluten-free:

Use gluten-free pasta of your choice.

Make it kid-friendly:

Mince the spinach and basil in a food processor so it blends into the pasta without being detected. Also, try serving the dish with fun pasta like fusilli or ditalini.