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31 Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes

By Emese Maczko on 04/20/2023 - 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. Whether you are vegan or not, you will definitely find some delicious tomato-based sauces, simple vegetable pasta recipes, and versatile vegan pesto sauces in this roundup.

3 bowls with colorful pasta dishes from pesto to alfredo

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.

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.

Coconut Milk Pasta Sauce

Tagliatelle is mixed in and covered with a creamy light red tomato-based sauce topped with fresh green herbs in a white frying pan. Dry tagliatelle pasta and a cheese grater with parmesan cheese is next to it.

Coconut milk makes a simple tomato-based pasta sauce into something truly rich and delicious. You will not miss heavy cream after trying this easy coconut milk pasta sauce recipe. In 30 minutes, you’ll get to experience a whole new level of pasta goodness!

Hidden Veggie Tomato Sauce

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

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!

Vegan Marinara Sauce

A white frying pan with red chunky sauce. A smiling wooden spatula is placed inside.

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!

Arrabbiata Sauce

Silver stockpot with red 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!

Easy Romesco Sauce

White bowl with orange sauce topped with chopped nuts and herbs

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.

Vegan Vodka Sauce

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

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 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.

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

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

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.

The Best Vegan Mushroom Pasta

Cast iron skillet with tagliatelle in a creamy light brown sauce with sliced mushrooms and freshly chopped green herbs. Dry tagliatelle and a cheese grater with a stick of parmesan is next to it.

It is a creamy vegan mushroom pasta that will leave you wanting more. Sautéed mushrooms and onions are mixed with savory thyme and rosemary-infused milk sauce, while a dash of lemon juice adds a zesty kick. Topped with vegan Parmesan and a sprinkle of red chili peppers, this dish is the perfect combination of comfort and flavor.

Vegan Bechamel aka White Sauce

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

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.

Vegan Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce

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

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.

Cauliflower Alfredo

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

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!

Garlic Shiitake Cream Sauce

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

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. We have a delicious vegan red pesto from sun-dried tomatoes and a vegan spinach pesto among others.

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Easy Vegan Pesto Pasta in 15 mins!

White bowl with tortiglioni pasta covered in green pesto topped with cherry tomato halves and sprinkled with yellow flakes. A small white dish is int the corner with the remaining pesto

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

Red Pesto Tofu Pasta (Vegan)

Large white plate with red pesto spaghetti topped with green-yellow tofu cubes, shredded cheese and basil leaves.

Whip up a vegan red pesto using sun-dried tomatoes in 5 minutes. Mix it with your favorite pasta and top it with some fried marinated tofu. It is a truly delicious tofu pesto pasta that you can make in 30 minutes from start to finish.

Parsley Walnut Pesto

Two small white bowl with penne in a green pesto sauce

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!

Mixed Greens Almond Pepita Pesto

Green pesto sauce in a small bowl topped with lemon slices

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.

Nut-free Oil-free Pesto 3 Ways

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

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

Spinach Garlic Scrape Pesto

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

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.

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, vegan sweet potato 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.

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

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

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.

Creamy Spinach Pasta Sauce

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.

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!

Caramelized Carrot Pasta Sauce

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

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.

Vegan Red Roasted Pepper Sauce

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

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.

Pistachio Kale Pasta Sauce

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

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.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

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

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.

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Asparagus

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

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.

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.

Creamy Cajun Oyster Mushroom Pasta

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.

This oyster mushroom pasta is a flavor-packed delight that you won’t be able to resist. The recipe has crispy oyster mushrooms, vibrant bell peppers, sweet onions, and juicy chopped tomatoes, all tossed in a blend of aromatic Cajun seasonings and rich coconut cream. The best part is that you can enjoy it in 30 minutes!

Creamy Harissa Tahini Pasta Sauce

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

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.

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.

Vegan Spinach Lasagna with Tofu Ricotta

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.

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.

FAQs

What kind of pasta can vegans eat?

If you just grab dried pasta from the store, you’ll see that several contains eggs. It can happen with any type of pasta like spaghetti, fettuccine, lasagna, penne, etc. You should look for durum pasta, as the only ingredient there is durum wheat flour and water.

Which pasta sauce is vegan?

There are lots of pasta sauces that are naturally vegan and do not contain any animal products like marinara sauce, arrabbiata sauce, or coconut milk pasta sauce. For more easy vegan pasta recipes, check out our list.

What are some really good vegan pasta recipes?

Creamy vegan mushroom pasta is always a winner, but whipping up a delicious vegan pesto in 5 minutes is the easiest you can get. For more easy vegan pasta recipes, check out our list.

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