A comforting, plant-based dish that is rich, full of bold flavor, and coated in luscious tomato sauce!

Vegan Rigatoni Pasta Recipe

Did you know January is also known as Veganuary?! It’s true! It’s a thing! A lot of people make resolutions to cut back on dairy, or completely cut dairy out of their diet. In my unsolicited opinion, completely cutting it out is unrealistic if you aren’t truly prepared.

How do you prepare? Start easy with a few swaps and stretch changes out over the year. It’s going to take some time to find things you like. Not everything is an even swap. And try a few new recipes that don’t call for dairy, but tastes just as good as the real thing.

This Vegan Creamy Tomato Rigatoni Pasta is actually just a vegan version of my Creamy Tomato Rigatoni Pasta . It tastes just as good – nobody will notice it’s vegan! These are the kind of recipes you need to make as you transition into a lifestyle with less dairy!

I also highly recommend Vegan Orange Chicken , Vegan Chocolate Pudding , Vegan Veggie Dip , and Homemade Vegan Brownies , too!

What You’ll Need

1 (1 lb) box Rigatoni Pasta

1 tbsp Vegan Butter

1/2 Onion, Diced

1 tbsp Garlic, Minced

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1 tbsp Flour

1 1/2 cups Vegan Heavy Cream

1 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce

How to Make Vegan Creamy Tomato Rigatoni Pasta

Boil 1 (1 lb) box of Rigatoni pasta noodles and cook to al dente according to the directions on the box.

At the same time, melt 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened and starting to brown.

Stir in 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute.

Stir in 1 tbsp flour until well combined.

Add 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce and stir until well combined. Continue to simmer until sauce is slightly thickened.

When the pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and drain.

Add cooked pasta to sauce in the pan and stir until well coated. Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water and stir in so the sauce comes together. Leave as is or add more pasta water until you reach desired consistency.