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So creamy and infused with garlic and herbs, this vegan Marry Me Pasta is a plant-based twist on the viral favorite. Built around a rich sun-dried tomato sauce, it comes together in just 30 minutes. Perfect for a romantic date night – or double it and make it a family favorite.
If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been slowly building out my Marry Me series. And this one might be my favorite, right alongside Marry Me Tofu. Vân would confirm: it’s become one of those meals we make on repeat. When “What’s for dinner?” comes up, there’s a good chance the answer is “Marry Me Pasta”, and we are both instantly on board.
Thirty minutes, one pan (plus one for the pasta, but let’s not overthink it), and a sauce so creamy and rich it needs no explanation. Welcome to the newest addition to the series.
What’s Marry Me Pasta?
Marry Me Pasta is a creamy pasta dish inspired by the viral “Marry Me Chicken” created by Lindsay Funston at Delish. The recipe got its name because it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The joke is that it’s so good that it might be enough to earn a marriage proposal!
My vegan version keeps the same core elements:
- A creamy, silky-smooth sauce with an intense garlic flavor.
- Plenty of chopped sun-dried tomatoes for depth and texture.
- Italian herbs such as oregano and thyme for herbaceous notes.
Just as satisfying but fully plant-based!
💖 Why It’s Totally Worth Making
- Perfectly saucy. Because no one likes dry pasta dishes, this pasta is ultra-creamy without feeling heavy or oversauced (it’s not a curry!). The ratio is balanced, so every bite is generously coated.
- A simple, yet fancy dinner. Thanks to plenty of garlic, dried herbs, fresh basil, and juicy chunks of sun-dried tomatoes, the sauce delivers deep, layered flavor with minimal effort. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but fancy enough for a date night.
- Ready in 30 minutes. The process is straightforward: sauté the aromatics, pour in the broth and cream, then let the sauce come together. Then, all you’ve got to do is add the pasta and toss!
🍅 About the Ingredients
- Cashews – To replace the dairy cream used in the classic version, this recipe relies on a simple cashew cream made with soaked raw cashews, water, and nutritional yeast. Ensure you are using raw cashews. To soak: either soak them overnight in cold water or pour boiling water over the cashews and let them sit for about 30 minutes.
➜ Substitute: You can easily make this recipe nut-free by using store-bought plant cream, such as soy cream or Flora Plant Cream, instead of cashew cream. You’ll need to use 3/4 cup of cream. - Butter – To intensify the flavor of the garlic, dried herbs, and tomatoes, they are sautéed in a mix of oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar and vegan butter. Both add complexity to the sauce.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – Use sun-dried tomatoes sold in a jar of oil, not the dry-packed ones.
- Tomato paste – It adds depth and savoriness to the sauce. You’ll cook it briefly in oil and butter to caramelize its sugars and lower its acidity.
- Garlic – Because you can never use too much garlic in a sauce, I went with 5 whole cloves here.
- Dried herbs – Thyme and oregano for that herby flavor. You’ll also need a generous pinch of red pepper flakes to add a bit of heat (don’t worry, this dish isn’t hot, just slightly peppery).
- Vegetable broth – You can use standard vegetable broth or Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base.
- Pasta – Any type of pasta works here. The one you see in the photos is tortiglioni, but fusilli, penne, farfalle, or rigatoni also work.
🥣 Cooking Method
- Make the cashew cream. Add the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and water to a blender.
- Blend. Blend on high speed for 15-20 seconds, or until smooth. Set aside.
- Sauté the garlic. Heat the oil and butter in a pan. Once hot, add the garlic.
- Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until just slightly golden.
- Add the tomatoes and herbs. Then, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried herbs.
- Cook. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and cashew cream.
- Simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 3 minutes, or until it thickens.
- Add the pasta. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the pan.
- Toss to coat. Toss to coat the pasta with the sauce, then cook for 1 more minute. Garnish with chopped basil and enjoy!
📔 Thomas’ Tips
Thin the sauce. If your sauce is too thick, thin it with a splash of the pasta cooking water or add more vegetable broth.
Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook it until just al dente. It will finish cooking for another minute in the sauce.
Double it! This recipe yields 2 large servings. To serve the whole family, double or triple it and cook the sauce in a large deep pot or Dutch oven.
🥖 What Goes Well With This
Here are some serving suggestions:
- Fresh salad: Carrot and kale salad, arugula salad, or Caesar salad.
- Bread: Serve it with a baguette, garlic bread, or crusty bread to scoop up every last bit of sauce!
- Vegetables: Either roasted vegetables, air-fryer green beans, air-fryer zucchini, or steamed greens such as pak choy or broccoli.
❄️ Storing and Reheating
- To store: Although this pasta tastes best when served the same day, you can refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days.
- To reheat: Reheat in a non-stick skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
💬 FAQs
Yes. You can replace the cashew cream with your favorite plant-based cream. Coconut, soy, or oat cream are good options.
You can make the sauce up to 2 days ahead. Reheat the sauce, cook the pasta, and assemble just before serving.
Any type of pasta works here!
This marry me pasta doesn’t freeze well, so I recommend enjoying it the same day.
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Creamy Vegan Marry Me Pasta (30 Minutes!)
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- 1/3 cup (50 g) raw cashews soaked overnight
- 3 tbsp (24 g) nutritional yeast
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
Marry Me Pasta
- 5.3 ounces (150 g) uncooked pasta
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar
- 1 tbsp (14 g) vegan butter
- 5 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp (21 g) tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth
- 1/4 and 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Cashew Cream
- Make the cashew cream. Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender. Add the nutritional yeast and water and blend on high speed for 15-20 seconds, or until smooth. Set aside..
Marry Me Pasta
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions. In the meantime, prepare the sauce.
- Sauté the garlic. Heat the oil and butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes and herbs. Then, add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, onion powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Pour in the liquid ingredients. Add the vegetable broth, cashew cream, and salt. Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes or until it has slightly thickened.
- Add the pasta. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the pan. Toss to coat with the sauce, then cook for 1 more minute. Garnish with chopped basil and enjoy!
Notes
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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