Creamy Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

5 from 1 vote

This sauce is quick to make, super easy and filling. It gets its creaminess from cashews, instead of cream or coconut milk.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Bailey Franklyn

Ingredients

½ cup cashews, raw, unsalted
½ cup water
4 cups cherry tomatoes (or mix of tomatoes, roma, cherry, etc)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, whole
½ onion, chopped into large pieces
.5-1 tablespoon red chili flakes
salt & pepper
1 lb Pasta, dry

Instructions

Add your cashews to a small bowl, and cover with warm water. Soak for at least 20-30minutes. If you forget this step, or don't have time, you can soak in boiling water for about half the time.*
Preheat oven to 400 °F
Wash and dry your tomatoes. If you're using some larger tomatoes, cut them in half or quarters.* Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Add the garlic and onion. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss to make sure everything is well coated. Roast for about 15-20 minutes or until cherry tomatoes have opened, and garlic is soft.
Once tomatoes are done, let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain your cashews and add them to the blender. Add ½ cup of fresh water. Blend until smooth.
Transfer your tomatoes, garlic, onion and as much of the juices as possible, to the blender with the cashews. Blend until smooth. If it's super thick, add a little bit of water.
Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove the tomato skins (this step is optional, but makes for a smoother sauce)*, and transfer the sauce to a large pan. Turn to low-medium heat. Add red chili flakes and some salt until it's to your liking for spice and saltiness.
Get a large pot of salted water boiling, and cook pasta according to directions on the package.
When your pasta is done cooking, scoop your pasta directly into the tomato sauce using a slotted spoon. You want some of the residual pasta water in your sauce.
Toss to make sure all the pasta is coated in the sauce. Taste again and adjust anything you think is necessary.
Garnish with shredded parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast (if keeping it vegan) or more red chili flakes.

Notes

CASHEWS: the cashews add creaminess to this dish without adding cream. They need to be soaked so they are soft and blend easier.

TOMATO VARIETIES: I usually use cherry tomatoes because that's what I have most of in my garden. However, you can use a combination of different tomato varieties. The colour of your final sauce will change base on the variety of the tomatoes you use. For example, if you use lots of Sungold cherry tomatoes (which are golden-yellow) your sauce will be more on the orange side, versus if you use red tomatoes, then your sauce will be more pink - thanks to the cashews.

STRAIN THE TOMATO SAUCE: I have tested this recipe both straining through a sieve and not, and I much prefer straining it. You end up with a smoother sauce, and no seeds or skins. But it's all personal preference.

FREEZE IT: this sauce freezes well.

Nutrition