Baked Tomato Pasta
Pasta
Ingredients:
- 900 g (2 pints, about 4 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 15 g (4-5 cloves) garlic, peeled
- 45 g (1/3 cup) raw cashews
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g (1 tsp) sea salt, or to taste
- 1 g (1/4 tsp) crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 340 g (12 oz) pasta of choice (spaghetti, rigatoni, or penne work well)
- 15 g (1/4 cup) fresh basil, chopped or torn
- Cashew parmesan, for topping
Nutrition:
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Soak the cashews if using a regular blender — soaking raw cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes first helps a standard blender achieve a silky-smooth sauce.
Reserve pasta water before draining — set aside at least a cup, since the starchy water is what loosens the sauce to the right consistency.
Instructions:
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, and raw cashews. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
- Roast: Roast for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and bursting and the garlic is soft and golden.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Blend the sauce: Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, cashews, and all their juices to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
- Combine: Toss the drained pasta with the tomato sauce, adding more pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta nicely.
- Serve: Top with fresh basil, cashew parmesan, and a pinch of extra crushed red pepper flakes.
Common Mistakes: Skipping the cashew soak with a regular blender — under-blended cashews leave a gritty texture; soak first if you don't have a high-speed blender.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water or plant milk to loosen the sauce.
Swaps: Swap cashews for blanched slivered almonds or raw sunflower seeds for a different flavor. Any pasta shape works — short shapes like rigatoni hold the sauce especially well. Prefer no heat? Swap the crushed red pepper for black pepper, or leave it out entirely.
Tips: Blend the sauce right away while the tomatoes and garlic are still warm for the smoothest texture. A high-speed blender gives the creamiest result. Start with a light hand on the crushed red pepper — you can always add more at the table.
Cherry tomatoes — roasting concentrates their natural sweetness and creates the base of the creamy sauce.
Raw cashews — blend into a rich, creamy base that replaces dairy cream or cheese entirely.
Garlic — roasting mellows its sharpness into a sweet, caramelized flavor that deepens the sauce.
Olive oil — helps the tomatoes and garlic roast and caramelize, and adds richness to the final blended sauce.
Crushed red pepper — adds a gentle background heat that balances the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes.
Fresh basil — adds a bright, herbaceous finish that balances the rich, creamy sauce.
Baked Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
- 900 g (2 pints, about 4 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 15 g (4-5 cloves) garlic, peeled
- 45 g (1/3 cup) raw cashews
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g (1 tsp) sea salt, or to taste
- 1 g (1/4 tsp) crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 340 g (12 oz) pasta of choice (spaghetti, rigatoni, or penne work well)
- 15 g (1/4 cup) fresh basil, chopped or torn
- Cashew parmesan, for topping
Why These Ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes — roasting concentrates their natural sweetness and creates the base of the creamy sauce.
Raw cashews — blend into a rich, creamy base that replaces dairy cream or cheese entirely.
Garlic — roasting mellows its sharpness into a sweet, caramelized flavor that deepens the sauce.
Olive oil — helps the tomatoes and garlic roast and caramelize, and adds richness to the final blended sauce.
Crushed red pepper — adds a gentle background heat that balances the sweetness of the roasted tomatoes.
Fresh basil — adds a bright, herbaceous finish that balances the rich, creamy sauce.
Prep:
Soak the cashews if using a regular blender — soaking raw cashews in hot water for 15-20 minutes first helps a standard blender achieve a silky-smooth sauce.
Reserve pasta water before draining — set aside at least a cup, since the starchy water is what loosens the sauce to the right consistency.
Instructions:
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, and raw cashews. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
- Roast: Roast for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered and bursting and the garlic is soft and golden.
- Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Blend the sauce: Transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, cashews, and all their juices to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
- Combine: Toss the drained pasta with the tomato sauce, adding more pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta nicely.
- Serve: Top with fresh basil, cashew parmesan, and a pinch of extra crushed red pepper flakes.
