Pesto Rigatoni with Roasted Tomatoes

White bowl with creamy pesto rigatoni garnished with roasted tomatoes.

Pesto Rigatoni with Roasted Tomatoes

This filling, wholesome and delicious creamy pesto rigatoni recipe is so easy you will want to make it all summer long! Whip up the pesto sauce without effort and serve dinner in under 30 minutes, the perfect weeknight dinner everyone will love. 100% vegan and dairy-free.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pasta recipes, pesto recipes, summer dinner, weeknight dinner

Servings: servings

Calories: 485kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

16 oz rigatoni pasta
2 cups cherry tomatoes
drizzle olive oil optional, to roast the tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

For the pesto sauce

2 cups fresh basil
½ cup raw cashews unsalted and unroasted, see notes
¼ cup pine nuts see notes
2 cloves garlic
2-3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp nutritional yeast or ¼ cup vegan parmesan cheese
¼ cup high-quality olive oil or replace with more water for an oil-free recipe
water enough to reach the desired consistency

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water. When the noodles are almost done, reserve some of the cooking water for later, then drain and set aside.
Transfer the cherry tomatoes to an oven-safe dish, drizzle a little olive oil over and sprinkle salt and pepper. Stir and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes start to burst. The tomatoes can also be roasted in a pan on the stove!
To a food processor, add the garlic and process until broken down. Add the pine nuts and cashews and process until crumbly. Add the basil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt and keep processing until it forms a uniform thick paste. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom.
Then, keep processing while pouring the olive oil. Repeat with water (a thin stream at a time) until it reaches the desired consistency. Taste to adjust seasonings and set aside.
Transfer the cooked pasta back to the pot and pour the pesto sauce over. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir until creamy. Add more water as needed and taste to adjust flavors.
Serve the creamy pesto garnished with roasted tomatoes and some more pine nuts. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Feel free to use 100% pine nuts or 100% cashews, or even throw in some walnuts (check out this vegan walnut pesto recipe!). I often vary the type of nuts that I use and more often than not, I use a mix.
While the pasta is cooking, roast extra pine nuts in a pan on medium heat (no oil) until golden brown. Shake the pan often so they don't burn. It makes for the perfect garnish!
Adjust the texture of the creamy pesto sauce by adding some more water or oil to the food processor. I like to start with ¼ cup of olive oil, then add water in a tiny stream at a time until the sauce is creamy and pourable.
Don't forget to keep to keep some pasta cooking water, it helps create a luscious creamy sauce when combining with the pasta!
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition