10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta

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This 10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta is made with just a handful of everyday pantry staples and it’ll quickly become part of your regular easy weeknight dinner rotation. It’s creamy, cheesy, and smoky and indulgent yet healthy, and guaranteed to be a crowd pleasing meal.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 25 minutes
5 from 233 votes

I am often in the mood for a creamy comforting pasta, and this 10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta is the easiest option that actually tastes amazing.

It’s made with just pantry ingredients, is quick and simple to make, and is packed with flavor. It’s also easy to customize, so you can round it out with your favorite vegetable or protein.

This recipe is straightforward, but if you want a few cooking tips (including the proper way to dice an onion and peel garlic) or want to see me cooking in action, I’ve included the video down below.

If you love the sound of a pantry-friendly pasta, you should also try my 10-Ingredient Lentil Bolognese and my Italian White Bean and Pasta Stew!

And for even more pasta-recipes, check out my round-up of 30 amazing vegan pasta recipes right here!

Watch: How to make Creamy Pantry Pasta!

Why you’ll love this vegan pantry pasta

10 main ingredients. Okay, not counting water, oil, salt and pepper. But yeah, just 10 main ingredients, woohoo!

Pantry staples. And all those ingredients are pantry staples (i.e., you might already have all the required ingredients in your pantry).

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Budget-friendly. In addition to being a pantry meal, it’s budget-friendly!

Weeknight-friendly. It takes 20ish minutes to make, from start to finish.

Comfort food heaven. It’s creamy, cheesy, and smoky, and incredibly indulgent. It tastes like a slightly smoky version of fettuccine Alfredo! It was inspired by my Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff, which is one of my most popular recipes, so you know it’s good!

Easy to customize. Feel free to make this your own meal. Toss in frozen peas at the end, pair with a side of roasted broccoli, bulk up with some beans or tofu or your favorite protein source. I personally love it with roasted broccoli or charred zucchini and smoked tofu.

10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta. Pasta food photography.

Substitutions for this recipe

Gluten-free? Use gluten-free soy sauce (aka tamari), use gluten-free flour or cornstarch, and use gluten-free pasta.

Plant milk. Canned lite coconut milk is the most pantry-friendly option, but I typically use oat milk because I always have it on hand. Any creamy plant-based milk such as oat, coconut, cashew, or soy will work—just make sure it’s a plain / unsweetened variety.

No tahini? The tahini adds extra richness and creaminess, so you can omit it, though at least one reader subbed almond butter with delicious results.

No Dijon or coarse-grain mustard? Add a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. The acidity at the end helps balance the creamy richness.

creamy pantry pasta in a bowl

If you give this recipe a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram with your recreations and please rate and review the recipe below :)

10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta

5 from 233 votes
This 10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta is made with just a handful of everyday pantry staples and it’ll quickly become part of your regular easy weeknight dinner rotation. It’s creamy, cheesy, and smoky and indulgent yet healthy, and guaranteed to be a crowd pleasing meal.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired, New American
Diet Vegan
Serving size: 3

Ingredients

  • 1 generous tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for mild heat)
  • 3/4 cup (180 mL) vegetable broth or water
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*
  • 3/4 cup (180 mL) canned “lite” coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk (ideally a creamy full-fat version)**
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 ounces (170g) linguine, fettuccine, or any pasta of choice (including gluten-free)
  • Optional garnishes: chopped flat-leaf parsley or vegan parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente.
  • Meanwhile, heat a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions and season with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned around the edges. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), and stir to combine for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  • While the onions are cooking, pour the vegetable broth (or water) into a measuring cup or bowl and add in the tamari or soy sauce and flour. Whisk to combine until all the flour is dissolved.
  • Pour the vegetable broth-flour mixture into the onion-garlic mixture and whisk to combine, ensuring there are no flour clumps. It should thicken almost immediately. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the coconut milk or oat milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes***, or until the sauce is thickened and very creamy, whisking occasionally.
  • Stir in the Dijon mustard, and taste for seasonings, adding more salt as needed. Turn on the pan with the sauce to low heat and add the hot cooked pasta. Use tongs to toss the pasta until it's well coated in the sauce and it's all heated through. Garnish with parsley and/or vegan parm, if using.

Notes

* If you’re gluten-free, you can substitute with (a) 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour or (b) 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
** I use oat milk because I usually have it on hand, but any creamy plant-based milk will work. If all you have is canned full-fat coconut milk, be sure to stir well and water it down a bit.
*** *If your milk is not as creamy, you might need to simmer a few extra minutes. If you double the recipe, simmer for 10 minutes. 

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 780mg | Potassium: 293mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

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311 comments on 10-Ingredient Creamy Vegan Pantry Pasta

  1. Jeesoo

    5 stars
    This was so tasty!!! I wanted to make some pesto pasta for Valentine’s Day but i couldn’t find any fresh basil for it so i panic searched on the internet to find an alternative recipe. Thank god I came across your recipe because it was such an incredible and easy recipe to make in a pinch! I’m excited to check out your other recipes!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Yay, we’re so happy the recipe came in handy, Jeesoo! We hope you get a chance to make the other recipes on the site as well :)

  2. Myra DeMarchena

    5 stars
    Excellent! Delicious! Family approved by all. As usual you have never let me down. You are my go to when I do my weekly meal planning. Thank you for your videos and your dedication to what you do. Everyone of your recipes is a work of art. I can’t wait until your cookbook comes out.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Myra, thanks for such a lovely comment. It’s amazing to hear you’ve found so much value in the recipes :) We hope you continue loving the recipes for years to come!

  3. Joie Mills

    5 stars
    I make this every time I want to impress somebody with my cooking, and it ALWAYS does the trick. I love this pasta so much! Thank you Nisha!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Joie, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!

  4. Supriya

    5 stars
    This turned out sooooo good!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      We’re over the moon to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Supriya. Thanks for your kind words!

  5. Andreea

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe Nisha, and for all your work. The pantry pasta was quick and easy to make and very tasty. I made it with wholegrain spelt tagliatelle and it worked very well.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Your review made our day, Andreea! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and for trying out the recipe.

  6. Sophie

    5 stars
    you saved my evening! didn’t realize it was a holiday so couldn’t go shopping. I wanted a pasta dish made from pantry…. et voilà! I threw some smoked tofu in and it was delicious!! thank you Nisha.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Sounds very tasty, Sophie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! :)

  7. Sanne

    Hey Nisha! I’m excited to try this but I wanted to run a few substitutions by you first. Is it okay if I substitute peanut butter for tahini, and a white onion instead of a yellow one? I also have a shallot if that is better than white onion.
    Thanks in advance!
    Sanne

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Sanne, we don’t recommend peanut butter, as the taste is too strong and will overpower the dish. Tahini is fairly subtle in flavor. A white onion should be fine though. If you have a few shallots, I would use those instead, but either will work.

  8. REGAN

    5 stars
    Another winner recipe by RPL! <3

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Regan, we’re glad you think so! :)

  9. Cheryl Stevens

    5 stars
    This is absolutely delicious! I would definitely make and serve this to guests. I think it would also be great with mushrooms.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Cheryl! It makes us happy to know that you enjoyed the recipe.

  10. Michaela

    5 stars
    Sooo good! I leave the garlic out and take some asafoetida instead.
    For the veggies i make a beetroot-apple-salad. So quick and so yummie!
    Thanks

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Michaela, thank you so much for your kind review! That pasta salad combo sounds heavenly!

  11. Nadia

    5 stars
    I want to make this but I’m allergic to sesame so can’t do Tahini. Can I substitute it with something else?

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Nadia- you can just omit it, though at least one reader subbed almond butter with delicious results so that could be a potential swap!

  12. Virginia

    Can I add mushrooms?

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Virginia, sure! We especially love cooking mushrooms in oil for a few mins undisturbed on the pan so they get super crispy. Enjoy!

  13. Treena

    5 stars
    Amazing, like everything else! This pasta recipe is great for this time of year. It’s creamy, spicy and just delicious. It’s nice having pasta with something other than tomato sauce too!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      I agree this recipe is a winner, Treena! Thanks for the review!

  14. Pepe

    5 stars
    Just WOW.
    Super tasty – thank you!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Pepe, thank you so much for your kind review!

  15. Ken

    I am new to Vegan life style. Your recipes make me excited. I plan to buy at a bookstore soon.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      We’re happy to have you here, Ken! We can’t wait for you to dig right into these recipes :)

  16. Carolyn

    5 stars
    Truly delicious pasta. Such a treat to discover this creamy, spicy recipe that’s so easy to prepare. This will be on regular rotation: Thank you!

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Carolyn, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!

  17. Kristin

    5 stars
    So good! Even my husband loved it and has been asking when I’m going to make it again.

    1. Kaitlin @ Rainbow Plant Life

      Hi Kristin, Thank you so much for such a fantastic review! Appreciate you taking the time!

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