This creamy vegan rose sauce is one of my weeknight go-to recipes. It's quick and easy to make in the blender and perfect over pasta on its own or in a pasta casserole.
Table of Contents
You know those evenings when the family wants to know what for dinner and you have NO IDEA? That's when I make this super easy vegan rose sauce. It's one of my go-to weeknight dishes.
The whole sauce uses pantry ingredients and comes together in the blender, and then you can warm it up on the stovetop or use it in a pasta casserole for a satisfying meal that's not just the same ol' pasta and red sauce.
Rose is French for pink, and it describes a creamy, tomato-based pasta sauce. Here, I'm simplifying the recipe by using pre-made pasta sauce blended with soaked cashews and spices for a flavorful, creamy, pink pasta sauce that's ready in minutes.
This is a shortcut recipe that uses pre-made marinara sauce. You are welcome to make the tomato sauce from scratch, if you have that kind of time!
Cashew cream makes this rose sauce creamy, but no need to make it separately. You blend all of the sauce ingredients together at once for a super quick pink sauce pasta!
Serve it over pasta (regular or gluten-free pasta are both fine), air fryer gnocchi, roasted veggies or use it in a pasta casserole. I also love dipping breadsticks into this creamy vegan rose sauce! Also check out how I use this protein-rich sauce to make a super delicious vegan protein pasta!
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- tomato sauce - You can use store-bought or homemade tomato sauce as the base for your vegan rose sauce. Just make sure it's free from dairy/milk ingredients.
- cashews - Soaked cashews make this sauce creamy! If you want to make this nut-free, you can use white beans in place of the cashews. Just make sure you blend really well!
- balsamic vinegar - For a little bit of sweetness and tang.
- ground spices - We are amping up the flavor of this sauce with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and crushed pepper flakes.
🔪 How to Make Vegan Rose Sauce
Soak and drain your cashews, if you haven't already.
Add all of the sauce ingredients to your blender.
Blend until completely smooth. You will probably have to do a few rounds of blending, where you blend for 30 seconds or so, then let the sauce sit for a minute before blending again. Repeat until it's completely smooth, then taste it and adjust the flavors. Blend again and taste again.
Warm the sauce in a pan on the stove or in the microwave, if needed, and stir into a bowl of hot pasta. I like to top it with a little vegan parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper. You can also use it in a pasta casserole or anywhere else you need tomato sauce or vegan rose sauce.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Choose a pasta sauce that you like the flavor of, since it's a significant part of the base for this recipe.
- After soaking the cashews, drain the soaking water and use fresh water in the blender.
- Blend this pink pasta sauce until it is completely smooth. I like to blend for a minute, then let the blender rest for a few minutes, then blend again. Repeat until you have a totally smooth mixture with no graininess or chunks at all.
🫙 Storage Directions
Leftover vegan rose sauce will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Warm it up and serve over pasta of choice.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
You don't! I never buy raw cashews anymore, because they're so expensive, and roasted cashews blend up nice and creamy, as long as you soak them in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes before blending.
Traditional rose sauce uses tomato sauce and cream. This non-dairy version uses cashew cream instead of a rich, creamy, oil-free vegan rose sauce!
📖 Recipe
🍅 Vegan Rose Sauce for Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 ounces tomato sauce Make sure it doesn't contain milk ingredients.
- 1 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, then drained
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Soak and drain your cashews, if you haven't already.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to your blender, and blend until completely smooth. You will probably have to do a few rounds of blending, where you blend for 30 seconds or so, then let the sauce sit for a minute before blending again. Repeat until it's completely smooth, then taste it and adjust the flavors. Add more salt, if needed. If it needs more tang, use more balsamic. For more heat, add more crushed pepper. And for more umami, add more garlic and onion powder. Blend again and taste again.
- Warm the sauce in a pan on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave, and serve over hot pasta. You can also use it in a pasta casserole or anywhere else you need tomato sauce or vegan rose sauce.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!