Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta (Vegan)

Creamy roasted red pepper tomato pasta – a rich and creamy roasted red pepper and tomato pasta sauce that is totally vegan thanks to blended cashews!

📝 Ingredients

• 100 g (scant 1 cup) raw cashews
• 2 red bell peppers (halved and de-seeded)
• 1 kg vine tomatoes (about 10) (halved)
• 1 red onion (peeled and cut into thick slices)
• 4 cloves garlic (skin on)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• a handful of fresh basil
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• a good grinding of black pepper
• 500 g (17.5 oz) dry pasta shapes

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Place the cashews in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
2. 2Place the peppers skin side up in a roasting tray, add the tomatoes cut side up and place the sliced onion and whole garlic cloves in the gaps. Drizzle with the olive oil and roast for around 45 minutes until the peppers are charred and the tomatoes blistered and bubbling.
3. 3Cover the tray tightly with tin foil and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Carefully peel the papery skin off the peppers.
4. 4Place the peeled peppers in a blender. Squeeze the flesh from the garlic cloves out of their skins into the blender. Tip in the tomatoes and onion.
5. 5Drain the cashews and add to the blender along with the thyme, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, pepper flakes (if using), salt and pepper.
6. 6Blend until very smooth. Taste and add more salt as needed. If the sauce is too thick then you can add a splash of water and blend again.
7. 7Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet then serve with the sauce.
8. 8The sauce can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.