Pasta with Coconut Milk Sauce is super creamy, vegan and delicious! The base of this simple sauce is made from pureed tomatoes and coconut milk.
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I'm a huge fan of pasta dishes for three reasons. Number 1 - It takes less than 30 minutes to get dinner on the table. Number 2 - Pasta is easy enough to make for a larger crowd. Number 3 - Who doesn't like pasta!?
Everyone will love this dish! No one will even sense that it's vegan. I promise, it tastes like it's loaded with heavy cream.
The secret to this luscious sauce is unsweetened full fat coconut milk! Do not use light coconut milk for this recipe. The sauce will be more watery than creamy.
Also, the sauce does not taste like coconut! The coconut milk just creates the perfect texture.
Overview of the ingredients
minced garlic cloves
passata - It's tomato puree that has been strained. It usually comes in a jar. I love THIS brand of passata! You can also just use canned tomato puree.
canned unsweetened full fat coconut milk - Do not use light coconut milk or anything from a carton. That stuff is too watered down for this recipe. You can use coconut cream in this recipe. In my opinion, I think the dish could be too heavy since coconut cream is thicker.
reserved pasta water - This makes the sauce even more velvety. The starch from the water helps everything stick together.
garlic powder
crushed dried red pepper flakes
Italian herb seasoning
salt and pepper
fresh chopped basil - You can skip this if you don't have fresh basil, but I recommend using it.
dry rigatoni pasta - You can also use dry penne pasta for this recipe or any pasta shape you love.
shredded vegan parmesan cheese - If you're not vegan, use regular shredded or grated parmesan cheese.
A complete list of ingredients, amounts and instructions is located on the recipe card below.
Can I make this pasta dish gluten free?
Absolutely! Just use your favorite gluten free pasta.
Can I use crushed tomatoes in this recipe?
No, the texture will not be the same. The chunks of tomatoes will not create a smooth sauce.
More Vegan Recipes to make!
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Pasta with Coconut Milk Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry rigatoni pasta
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cups passata - It's tomato puree that has been strained. It usually comes in a jar. I love THIS brand of passata! You can also just use canned tomato puree.
- 1 cup canned unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pinch crushed dried red pepper flakes
- ½ tablespoon Italian herb seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- shredded vegan parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper for serving
Instructions
- First, cook the pasta according to the package's instructions.
- Next, heat a pan on medium heat, add olive oil and minced garlic. Cook the garlic until golden - about 1 minute.
- Turn the heat to low and add all the other ingredients for the sauce. Don't forget to grab some of that pasta water!
- Cook the sauce on low for 15 minutes.
- Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce. Serve with vegan parm and fresh cracked black pepper!
This nutrition information is an estimate and should not be taken as fact. The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.
Stacy
Delicious and pairs well with many dishes!
Right!? So versatile. I love freezing the sauce to use whenever I want! - Krista <3
Jessica
This is actually the best pasta I ever made according to my boyfriend. It was so easy to make too!!
Whoot whoot!!
Julia
So good! Always an extra boost when the husband loves it too. Thanks for the recipe!
Of course! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and rating.🙂