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Rosé Pasta with Broccolini

Vegan Rosé Pasta with Broccolini is a perfect summer meal! Enjoy this tomato cashew cream sauce, splashed with lively rosé wine, for a simple dinner (ready in under an hour) that feels restaurant-quality.

platter of rose pasta with broccolini

What is rosé pasta?

Rose pasta, or pink sauce pasta, is a dish made with tomato sauce and added cream. The cream lightens the darker red color of the pasta, rendering it slightly pink/rose-colored. “Rosé pasta” is a bit of a play on this as we are also adding rosé wine, which lends a fuller-bodied flavor to the finished product.

Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between rose and marinara?

Rosé sauce includes cream, traditional marinara does not.

What does rosé sauce taste like?

Rosé pink sauce pasta tastes tangy, slightly sweet, peppery, and rich without being heavy. If you’ve had vodka sauce, it follows a very similar preparation.

How can I make a cream sauce without dairy?

Soaked and blended cashews are a perfect swap for cream in pasta sauce. After soaking cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes, add them to a high-speed blender along with nutritional yeast, salt, lemon juice, and a dash of coconut aminos/soy sauce. This mixture is remarkably similar to cream in taste and lends real body to a red sauce.

What can I substitute for wine in sauce?

Red wine vinegar is a great swap for rose or red wine in sauces. To do this, simply add half the amount of wine listed in the recipe (as vinegar is more strongly flavored).

Can you get drunk from eating rose pasta?

No. The alcohol in the wine will cook off as the sauce simmers, so there is no need to worry about feeling tipsy after eating this dish.

overhead shot of a plate of vegan rose pasta with a gold fork

Ingredient Details and Swaps

Cashews, blended with nutritional yeast, soy sauce (or coconut aminos), and lemon juice creates our vegan “cream.”

Shallots, red pepper flakes, dried basil, garlic, salt and pepper make up the aromatic base.

Crushed tomatoes comprise most of the sauce. Diced tomatoes or tomato passata work as well!

Rosé wine adds a good deal of flavor, but feel free to swap in red wine vinegar if you do not have any wine on hand. Alternatively, red or white wines will work in place of rosé (the flavor will be slightly different but still very good).

Any short pasta shape will work well here – I like gemelli as it holds the sauce nicely!

Broccolini adds some crunch and heft to the pasta dish, and I find the sauce clings beautifully to its flowery ends. If you do not have access to broccolini, though, feel free to swap in regular broccoli, green beans, collards, kale, or chard. You may notice in these photos that I also added green peas.

More Restaurant-Style Vegan Pastas

Cherry Tomato Pasta alla Vodka

Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

A Round Up of Fancy-Feeling Pasta Dinners

Spaghetti with 12 Cloves of Garlic

Print
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platter of rose pasta with broccolini

Rosé Pasta with Broccolini


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5 from 4 reviews

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Vegan Rosé Pasta with Broccolini is a perfect summer meal! Enjoy this tomato cashew cream sauce, splashed with lively rosé wine, for a simple dinner (ready in under an hour) that feels restaurant-quality. 


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2/3 cup cashews
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 large shallots, sliced thinly
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried basil or oregano
  • 28 oz. high quality crushed tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup rose wine
  • 2 TBS nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp soy sauce, (coconut aminos if gluten-free)
  • 1 pound short pasta of choice
  • One large bunch broccolini (or broccoli, green beans, kale, collards, or chard)
  • Fresh basil or parsley to garnish, cashew parmesan for serving

Instructions

  1. Add your cashews to a bowl and cover with 1 cup of hot water. Soak for 15 minutes.
  2. We will next begin sauce. In a large sauce pan, heat 3 TBS olive oil over medium. One hot add shallots, stir, and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, a dash of salt and pepper, and 2 tsp dried basil. Stir for 30 seconds more. Add in tomatoes and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, covered.
  3. While this is simmering, add cashews (and their soaking water) to a high-speed blender along with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, soy sauce (or aminos), and another few twists of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth (this is our “cream”). Set aside.
  4. Boil some water for pasta in another large pot. Prepare according to package directions. 3 minutes before finished cooking, add in broccolini. Drain pasta and set aside, reserving a bit of the pasta cooking water to add to the finished dish as needed.
  5. Add cashew cream to sauce pot, stirring completely. Remove from heat. Add in pasta with veggies and stir to coat. Add the reserved cooking water if things are a bit dry. Serve hot with more red pepper flakes, cashew parmesan, and fresh basil.

Notes

To make cashew parmesan: Pulse in a food processor 1 cup raw cashews, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 3 TBS nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt. Stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for a few months. 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Boiling
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: One sixth of recipe
  • Calories: 310 calories
  • Sugar: 8.6 grams
  • Sodium: 527 milligrams
  • Fat: 9.8 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 1.6 grams
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8.2 grams
  • Trans Fat: 0 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 42 grams
  • Fiber: 6.4 grams
  • Protein: 11.9 grams
  • Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
Portrait of Emily Meyers, founder of Garlic Head

About the Author

Emily (Frigon) Meyers is the founder of Garlic Head, a plant-based recipe website for all eaters who want to easily, affordably, and sustainably incorporate more vegetables into their diets while saving time and money. She is a lifelong vegetarian and 10+ year vegan. Garlic Head does not focus on labels - it focuses on creating food that everyone can enjoy.

Emily earned a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University along with degrees in Economics, Spanish, and Global Sustainability from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been featured on numerous podcasts and websites including The Food Institute, VegNews, Buzzfeed, and the Boston Globe.

Meet Emily here.

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Comments

  1. Nancy says

    My entire family is obsessed with this recipe! I was worried it would be bitter but the cashew cream really mellowed things. This is a keeper for us!






  2. Sue 0523 says

    Love this! I had to add a little sugar (as my canned tomatoes needed a bit of sweetness and my rose was very dry) but so delicious on a summer night!






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