This caramelized onion pasta with basil cream is loaded with caramelized onions and served on top of luscious vegan basil cream. It’s the perfect vegan dinner recipe!
I absolutely loved this meal. The caramelized onions, the creamy basil sauce, and big paccheri pasta make this meal a total stunner.
How to make this caramelized onion pasta with vegan basil cream:
This vegan dinner recipe is super versatile, too. You can add any number of ingredients or you can keep it a simple 5-ingredient meal too!
Here’s what you need:
- Neutral oil for sautéing
- Yellow onion
- Lots of basil
- Plant-based cream cheese, I love Daiya
- Extra virgin olive oil or try it with basil-flavored olive oil
- Paccheri or rigatoni
Making it is as simple as a few basic steps:
- Step 1: Caramelize the onion
- Step 2: Make the vegan basil cream by blending cream cheese, basil, basil oil, and a little water in a food processor.
- Step 3: Boil the pasta and reserve a cup of cooking water.
From there, combine it all together! Add the cooking water to the onion, boil it until reduced, and then toss with the pasta and basil.
To serve, simply spoon the basil cream into shallow bowls and pile the pasta on top. Garnish it with a few basil leaves and a drizzle of basil oil or extra virgin olive oil. Yum!
Looking for more 5-ingredient meals? Check the 5-ingredient recipes archives!
Pasta with Basil Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 yellow onion peeled and sliced
- 1 cup loosely packed basil divided
- 8 ounces plant-based cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or basil-flavored oil)
- 16 ounces paccheri or rigatoni
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the basil:
- Roughly chop the basil and set it aside.
Caramelize the onion:
- Heat the oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 25–30 minutes until caramelized. Stir regularly and adjust the heat as needed to prevent the onions from burning. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the basil cream:
- As the onion cooks, combine the cream cheese and half the basil in a food processor. Pulse until completely blended. Add water, as needed, in tablespoon increments until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You will likely need 2–3 tablespoons of water total. Season with salt, to taste.
Cook the pasta:
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the paccheri and cook until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Add the pasta cooking water to the caramelized onion and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Add the remaining basil and the pasta and cook for another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Spoon the basil cream onto plates and smooth it out with the back of your spoon. Pile the pasta on top of the cream and serve with a few additional basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you like. Enjoy!
