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Golden silverware on a plate with Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Pasta.
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3.67 from 6 votes

Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Rigatoni Pasta

Whip up a batch of the most indulgent Vegan Sweet Potato Pasta Skillet tonight! This delightful dish combines rigatoni with a velvety sweet potato-coconut cream sauce, infused with the aromatic goodness of herbs, garlic, and a touch of spice. The perfect meatless weeknight dinner option for a creamy, dairy-free delight. Gluten-free option.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: classic, creamy, dairy-free, dinner, easy, fall recipe, food, gluten-free, healthy, homemade, indulge, pasta, southern, sweet potatoes, vegan, weeknight meals
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

PASTA:

  • 1 (16 oz.) PACKAGE Organic rigatoni pasta  (You can use your fave pasta shape/type; See Notes for GF option.)
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil

SWEET POTATO PUREE:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (About 1lb. each)
  • 1-2 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup vegetable stock

SWEET POTATO SAUCE:

  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 Tbsps nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup organic all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt + black pepper
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon white cooking wine
  • 1 (13 oz.) can full-fat coconut cream or milk
  • 1 cup organic vegetable stock
  • 1-2 Tbsps white cooking wine
  • 1-2 Tbsps cajun seasoning
  • 2 cups chopped kale, de-stemmed

Instructions

ROAST THE SWEET POTATO:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  • Rinse sweet potatoes and pat dry. Lightly coat potato with olive oil, arranging them side by side unto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and juices begin to bubble outside of skin. Remove from oven, let cool for 10-15 minutes and slice in half. Remove sweet potato 'flesh' (insides) and place in a bowl.

TO MAKE THE SWEET POTATO PUREE:

  • In a high-powered blender, add the cooked/cooled sweet potato flesh along with the olive oil and veggie stock. Blend on high-speed until fully smooth. If needed, add additional veggie stock (1 tablespoon at a time) until desired consistency is met.

BOIL THE PASTA:

  • To begin, cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

  • In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and cajun seasoning, stirring everything together. Whisk in the flour, veggie stock, coconut cream/milk, until everything thickens and becomes smooth with no lumps visible.
  • Add the blended sweet potato puree followed by the white cooking wine and chopped kale, stirring everything together until combined. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 3-4 minutes until it thickens more and the kale has wilted and cooked.
  • Add in the cooked pasta and stir until everything is well coated.
  •  Remove from heat and serve immediately with your favorite side or on it's own with a bit of vegan parmesan cheese, if desired.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
  • SPICES/HERBS: If desired, you can reduce the amounts slightly. Please know that this recipe is bold in flavor, so feel free to adjust based on your tastebuds.
  • GLUTEN-FREE: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that coconut cream/milk is GF-friendly. 
  • PASTA: You can use Jumbo shells or long pastas like Pappardelle, Fettuccine, etc. if desired, however, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, the traditional penne or rigatoni pasta works perfectly too!
  • GREENS: To add a bit more flavor to this dish, you can always feel free to add in your favorite greens such as kale, spinach, broccolini, collards, or asparagus. 

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 957mg | Potassium: 712mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 20397IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 3mg