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30+ Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes

By My Pure Plants on 06/27/2022 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

You can never have enough vegan pasta recipes up in your sleeves. They are usually quick and easy, hence they are such perfect weeknight dinners. Everyone loves a creamy pasta sauce, am I right? Whether you are vegan or not you will definitely find some delicious tomato-based sauces or simple vegetable pasta recipes or versatile pesto sauces in this roundup.

3 bowls with colorful pasta dishes from pesto to alfredo

Table of Contents hide

1. What pasta can vegans eat?

2. Tomato-based red pastas

3. Creamy white sauces

4. Pesto pastas

5. Veggie-based pasta sauces

6. Spicy or aromatic pastas

7. Baked pasta recipes

8. More vegan recipe roundups

What pasta can vegans eat?

If you just starting on a vegan diet, you may wonder if pasta is vegan or not. Sadly, not all packaged pasta is vegan. If you just grab in the grocery store a classic dried pasta you’ll see that in several cases it contains eggs. It can happen with many types of pasta like spaghetti, fettuccini, lasagna, penne, etc.

However, you don’t need to go and find a homemade vegan pasta recipe, since the majority of dried pasta brands are indeed vegan. Why? Because the main ingredients of pasta are usually water and durum wheat flour.

If you are looking for vegan and gluten-free pasta brands, you need to be even more cautious. Always read the packaging and look for products with a certified gluten-free label. There are many different alternatives like quinoa spaghetti or a more protein-packed edamame spaghetti or chia flour pasta. Not to mention zucchini noodles as a low-carb alternative.

Tomato-based red pastas

It is hard to argue that the most popular Italian pasta sauce is the classic Pomodoro Sauce. A simple smooth tomato sauce that is seasoned with chopped garlic, freshly chopped oregano, and basil. Italian cuisine is big on using fresh, ripe, in-season ingredients. However, there are some delicious variations to tomato-based sauces that you can use to make vegan pasta dishes may they be for spaghetti, penne, or gnocchi. They can be spicy and hot or creamy or even spiked.

White bowl is full of spaghetti with red chunky pasta sauce and a couple of basil leaves on top.

Vegan Marinara Sauce

Whether you call it a chunky tomato spaghetti sauce or a marinara sauce, our recipe is a one-pot classic that can be whipped up in 10 minutes using just a few simple ingredients. Kick it up a notch and add some fresh herbs like basil and oregano chopped real fine – you won't regret it!

Vegan Bolognese Sauce

If you are looking for a rich, hearty vegan bolognese sauce try this from-scratch ragu with cauliflower walnut meat. We also added a cup of vegan alfredo sauce to make it extra creamy and decadent.

Red and white dutch oven with a smooth creamy light red sauce topped with basil leaves.

Hidden Veggie Tomato Sauce

Looking for a finger-licking-good sauce that is also a great way to sneak some veggies into your family meals? This creamy "tomato" sauce recipe uses seven kinds of veggies and some legumes as well to add richness. Be sure to cook enough for seconds because this one's sure to be a family fave!

Silver stockpot with red sauce

Arrabbiata Sauce

Brew up some Italiano love with this spicy, garlicky, thick, and chunky arrabbiata sauce from The Fiery Vegetarian that will leave everyone salivating as the aromas awaken your senses. The recipe uses very few ingredients and only takes about 30 minutes. Tangier, and thicker than a marinara sauce, it is recommended to use fresh tomatoes along with the canned ones, and be a little extra generous with the spice and garlic!

White bowl with orange sauce topped with chopped nuts and herbs

Easy Romesco Sauce

This is a creamy red pepper sauce with a tangy base of tomatoes and nuts originating from the Catalonian area of Spain. The traditional method of prep for this sauce is very time-consuming because it involves roasting the red peppers and tomatoes yourself and making the nut butter from scratch. But, this easy romesco sauce recipe from Dianne's Vegan Kitchen saves you all the hassle without making you compromise on that authentic taste.

Penne pasta topped with a light red sauce with mushrooms springkled with yellow flakes and chopped herbs

Vegan Vodka Sauce

Creamy and wonderfully seasoned with the robust flavor of vodka intensifying all the rest of the other goodness, this sauce makes the perfect addition to any dinner table. It includes caramelized mushrooms, and wonderful garlic undertones, with a creamy and zingy base. Sounds like a lot, right? Don’t worry, this recipe from This Healthy Kitchen is amazingly balanced and something everyone will love.

Creamy white sauces

Creamy vegan pasta sauces are next on the list. It is wonderful to dip in a creamy, velvety sauce. These white sauces are made of different dairy-free milk, cream, or cheese substitutes. Pairing pasta with such rich sauces will make them for a quite heavy and filling meal.

Black frying pan with spaghetti in white sauce with wilted spinach leaves and charred cherry tomatoes.

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

This sauce needs only five ingredients and takes just under 15 minutes to whip up! The cashews make a rich and creamy base without using any dairy products and are complemented perfectly with a hit of garlic. Mild, yet rich, our fettuccine alfredo sauce recipe uses a touch of pepper and nutmeg to bring out the flavors. It is served with pan-fried cherry tomatoes and spinach leaves.

White sauce in black frying pan with a smiling wooden spatula in the middle

Vegan Bechamel aka White Sauce

A bechamel sauce, or a simple white sauce, is a mother sauce that can be used as a base or addition to any other sauce. It can be spiced up with your own creative additions or had as is. This recipe is not only versatile but is also a filling and hearty addition to a range of dishes like vegan lasagna.

White plate with gnocchi in a white sauce as well as spinach leaves and fake salmon slices

Vegan Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce

Looking for a rich and creamy, yet spicy sauce with a hint of umami? This recipe from Ve Eat Cook Bake is just that. If you're wondering how you make a blue cheese sauce without blue cheese, the answer is an inventive mix of miso paste and nutritional yeast! The zing and tang make it so that you barely notice the difference.

2 bowls of pasta dish with white sauce sprinkled with chopped herbs.

Cauliflower Alfredo

Do you enjoy a thick, delectable alfredo sauce but find you can never finish a whole plate of it when used in a dish? This cauliflower alfredo sauce from Yummy Mummy Kitchen hits just the right spot with the advantage of being a much lighter alternative on the stomach. Use it as is or amp it up by adding some sauteed mushrooms to it. Either way, you can't go wrong!

Brown wooden bowl with tagliatelle, mushroom slices, basil leaves in white sauce

Garlic Shiitake Cream Sauce

Super easy to make and versatile, this earthy, warm, garlic shiitake cream sauce from Go Dairy-free is ready in just under 12 minutes with ingredients that are readily available in the average pantry. Shiitake mushrooms give this dish a smoky and complex flavor, but you could also use some meatier mushrooms like portobello or cremini if you crave a different texture.

Pesto pastas

If you haven’t tried fresh pesto sauce, you are in for a treat. It is so easy to make at home. Just take a food processor, choose your leafy green or herb (fresh basil, parsley, mint, spinach, kale, etc.), then choose your nut or seed (pine nuts, almond, walnut, cashew, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pepitas, etc.), add freshly chopped garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, and vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast. And don’t forget about red pesto from sun-dried tomatoes or yellow pestos. Here is how to make vegan pesto pasta of any type.

Small white bowl with a chunky green paste and a fresh basil leaf on the side. Fresh spinach leaves and sunflower seeds are scattered around.

Vegan Spinach Pesto

Why settle for mainstream grocery store spinach pesto when you can whip up something fresh and mind-blowing in nearly just as much time? Try our recipe for a spinach pesto which is ready in just 5 minutes with only 7 fresh and affordable ingredients.

Two small white bowl with penne in a green pesto sauce

Parsley Walnut Pesto

A slight detour from the traditional pesto, this vibrant green, and flavorful sauce brings a refreshing change to your palette. The recipe from The Simple Green comes together fairly quickly and you can adjust the texture as per your liking. But expect the final result will be garlicky and herby with a hint of nuttiness from the walnuts. Yum!

Green pesto sauce in a small bowl topped with lemon slices

Mixed Greens Almond Pepita Pesto

Want to make a richer, creamier pesto that is satisfying and filling? This pumpkin seed pesto from Veggie Inspired is a great place to experiment with new flavor profiles. Earthy, zesty, peppery, and cheesy! It'll be the show stopper at any dinner party and that's a promise.

Red pesto sauce in a small mason jar. A hand is holding a spoon and taking some from the jar. Tomatoes and basil leaves are around it

Fire Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

This unique pesto sauce from VEEG features an out-of-the-box tang from the sun-dried tomatoes and a creaminess that can only be achieved with coconut milk. The peppery notes of basil further balance this sauce out to make it a special weekend treat!

3 types of green pesto in small glass jars and different ingredients are around them like herbs, pepper, sundried tomatoes

Nut-free Oil-free Pesto 3 Ways

Just give these 3 easy-to-make recipes from This Healthy Kitchen a try and watch them become staples in your household in no time. Each recipe has a distinct flavor profile so nobody ever gets bored. Plus, each takes all of 5 minutes to make! Get ready to try a lemony basil pesto, a spicy and zesty cilantro pesto, and a wonderfully tangy parsley pesto with sundried tomatoes and olives. This fabulous pesto trio does not disappoint!

Get the recipes

Green pesto sauce in a glass jar with veggie scrapes around it

Spinach Garlic Scrape Pesto

Garlic lovers here is THE pesto recipe from Very Vegan Val for you. Garlic scape, or stem of the garlic plant, is the star of this dish. It's a relatively rare seasonal ingredient that offers a unique and strong flavor, so you can expect a completely extraordinary burst of garlic in your mouth when you use it in this vibrant pesto. The addition of spinach, lemon, salt, and pecans offset the garlic punch and brings balance to this distinctive take on the classic sauce.

Veggie-based pasta sauces

If you love to try new pasta recipes that are far from traditional sauces, your guests will be amazed by how versatile a vegan pasta dish can get. These veggie-based sauces are also perfect to include in themed or seasoned meals. For example, gnocchi with roasted butternut squash sauce is just screaming “I am the perfect autumn comfort food!” or adding fresh asparagus or spinach will term it into a quintessential spring dish.

Small white bowl of fusilli pasta mixed with Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese No nuts Sauce and topped with eggplant and oyster mushroom garnish

Nut-free Vegan Mac and Cheese (No Oil, No Soy, No Gluten)

You may think it is hard to make a creamy mac and cheese sauce without cheese since that is the main ingredient. However, this nutritious veggie-based vegan pasta sauce will give you a delicious, rich, and creamy alternative to try.

White bowl with fettuccine pasta covered in green sauces sprinkled with yellow flakes and a pair of basil leaves. A fork is next to the bowl.

Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce

Try our 15-minute blended spinach pasta sauce for a dish that is creamy, light, and rich all at the same time. Subtle yet sublime and surprisingly a favorite with the kids, the best part is that this dish is easy to modify according to your tastes and the ingredients available on hand. Just don't forget to be generous with the parmesan and serve it hot!

Yellow pasta sauce poured on top of spaghetti in a frying pan.

Caramelized Carrot Pasta Sauce

With roots in its Hungarian heritage, our caramelized carrot pasta sauce checks all the boxes when it comes to serving up something wholesome and delectable. Despite it most certainly is a labor of love, the sweetness of the caramelized onions and root veggies stabilized by the subtle flavors of bay leaves, pepper, lemon, and sour cream makes it so worth the effort.

Vibrant orange sauce in spaghetti. A fork is lifting some of the pasta up.

Vegan Red Roasted Pepper Sauce

This roasted red pepper sauce from The Fiery Vegetarian uses an array of seasonings and will taste like hours of labor but it's all about the shortcuts with this one. An essential ingredient in this recipe is smoked paprika to give the sauce an oomph, and then all that's left to do is blend away until you achieve the smooth consistency you desire.

Vibrant green sauce in a glass jar. A spoon is taking from from the top. Pistachios are around it.

Pistachio Kale Pasta Sauce

Flavorful, versatile, and a sneaky way to add some greens to your meal, this rich basil pesto sauce from Stacey Homemaker is made from classic ingredients like fresh basil leaves, creamy pistachios, and lemon juice.

White plate with spaghetti in orange sauce topped with seeds and chopped herbs

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Sage and butternut squash are a match made in heaven don't you think. If you are looking for a quintessential autumn comfort food, make this deliciously creamy and aromatic roasted butternut squash pasta sauce from Veggie Chick.

A frying pan with penne pasta, asparagus pieces and two lemon slices

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Asparagus

This 5-ingredient tangy pasta sauce recipe brings a whole dish together in just 15 minutes – 10 of which is actually spent cooking your pasta! It's a foolproof option for a quick weekday dinner. Our favorite veggie for this sauce is asparagus but you do you! Pick any vegetable that suits your palette and you’re ready to go.

Spicy or aromatic pastas

There are many ingredients in vegan recipes that some might think of when choosing a pasta sauce recipe like harissa, miso paste, or tahini. But you can make delicious spicy or aromatic pasta recipes for vegans with a combination of many popular ingredients.

Penne pasta with yellow bell pepper slices, brown mushroom shreds and spring onion rings in a creamy red sauce in a frying pan from above.

Creamy Vegan Cajun Pasta Sauce

If you are craving a rich, spicy, and creamy vegan cajun pasta Sauce this will be the one to make. We added some shredded oyster mushrooms as they are just the best vegan chicken alternative ever and voila here is an absolutely delicious and creamy vegan cajun chicken pasta to enjoy in about 30 minutes

Black cast iron skillet with spaghetti in creamy light brown sauce with asparagus, spinach and red pepper slices

Creamy Harissa Tahini Pasta Sauce

This harissa tahini pasta sauce is ready in 20 minutes, so it is perfect for busy weeknights. It is rich, creamy, and spicy. If you are looking for a super simple pasta recipe, this will be your new best friend. Serve it with asparagus and spinach or mix and match it with your favorite veggies and toppings.

Frying pan from above with fettuccini pasta in a white-orange creamy sauce with sliced crispy mushrooms, red bell pepper sticks and freshly chopped parsley.

Vegan Mushroom Pasta in “Paprikash Sauce”

This vegan mushroom pasta recipe has been inspired by Hungarian Mushroom Paprikash, which is a sour cream-based smoked sweet paprika-infused sauce. You can expect a smoky, tangy, creamy, and delicious pasta dish with lots of button and shiitake mushrooms. And for a bit of color, sweet red bell peppers.

Baked pasta recipes

Don’t forget about all the delicious vegan pasta recipes that you can bake in the oven. I am talking about lasagna and pasta bakes.

A white plate with a slice of lasagna where you can see the layers of red sauce, pasta sheets and a white ricotto and chopped spinach leaves.

Easy Vegan Spinach Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

Skip the vegan meat alternatives and make a delicious vegan lasagna with spinach tofu ricotta cheese. Baked in a rich Pomodoro sauce is just what you need for dinner.

Easy Vegan Lasagna with Lentil Bolognese

If you are looking for the easiest vegan lasagna recipe, this one must be it. We cooked a juicy hearty lentil bolognese sauce and whipped up some silky vegan bechamel sauce to make the best lentil lasagna ever.

Vegan Cabbage Lasagna with Spinach Alfredo

Skip lasagna noodles and use crunchy cabbage leaves instead. It will make for a lighter vegan lasagna with a meaty vegan ground beef ragu and a spinach alfredo sauce.

More vegan recipe roundups

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