Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes, prepare the sauce ahead of time and cook the fettuccine right before serving. According to the article, fresh pasta is recommended to get the pasta texture you want. The sauce will continue to thicken over time, but you can thin it slightly with broth if needed. Keep the arugula, parsley, and vegan parmesan separate from the sauce and add them at serving time.

Can I freeze the sauce?

Yes, freeze the sauce separately and eat it with hot pasta. Freezing the sauce and pasta separately can help limit exposure of the arugula and pasta to the sauce. You may want to add some broth to the sauce when reheating it. Freezing individual portions of sauce can make it easier to reheat smaller servings for one or two people.

What can replace balsamic vinegar?

Yes, lemon juice can be substituted for balsamic vinegar according to this source. The lemon sauce will have a more tart, lemony flavor than balsamic vinegar. Add lemon juice to the sauce in small amounts and test the sauce frequently to prevent it from tasting too lemony. Keep the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning in place to keep the tomato flavor in the sauce.

Can I make fewer servings?

Yes, cut the amounts of ingredients in half to make one or two servings. The sauce might cook faster in a smaller pan, especially in a wide pan. Try using a smaller pan and adjust the cooking time. Don't expect the sauce to take as long to cook as it would for the full recipe. Cook fettuccine according to package directions.

How do I thin the sauce?

Add small amounts of water or vegetable broth to thin the sauce. Water or vegetable broth are ingredients in this recipe, so adding them will not alter the taste of the sauce. Stir the sauce and let it sit for a few minutes between additions to assess whether additional liquid is needed. Coconut cream and nutritional yeast in the recipe contribute to the thick texture of the sauce. Avoid adding large amounts of liquid at once.

Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Fettuccine with Creamy Coconut Sauce

By Mason BrooksOct 7, 2026

Prep

5 min

Cook

20 min

Total

25 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Dinner can be prepared in 25 minutes with two burners, one for the pasta and one for the sauce. The vegan sun-dried tomato fettuccine recipe involves combining fettuccine with a creamy coconut sauce and other toppings, such as balsamic vinegar, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. This is a quick, dairy-free option for weeknight dinners at home.

Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Fettuccine with Creamy Coconut Sauce

The sauce is prepared in a skillet with garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Italian seasoning and balsamic vinegar and tomato paste are added to the sauce to enhance flavor. Cherry tomatoes are cooked and mashed to add texture and tomato flavor to the sauce. Coconut cream and nutritional yeast are added to the sauce. Arugula is mixed into the pasta before serving, and parsley is sprinkled on top. Water or vegetable broth can be added during cooking or at the end of cooking as directed.

Choose ripe cherry tomatoes that yield easily to a spoon. Five to ten minutes of cooking will thicken tomato sauce. Drain pasta al dente and toss with arugula to ensure even mixing. Problems to avoid include insufficient cooking time with a lid on the pot and hard cherry tomatoes that don't mix well with other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper at the end of cooking.

Serve the pasta straight from the pan, with fresh parsley and shaved vegan parmesan, if using. Keep cooked pasta in an airtight container. When reheating leftovers, add some broth to help moisten the sauce. Pasta can be prepared in advance, if needed. Make the sauce fresh.

Why you'll love this recipe

Saves time during the week because the recipe booklet says the recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare, and much of the time needed to prepare the recipe is spent preparing a sauce in a skillet.
Uses typical cooking utensils, such as pots and pans, spoons, and sieves, to prepare the dish without other kitchen tools, such as a blender.
Restricts ingredients needed to prepare the meal to fettuccine, tomato products, spices, and other common ingredients, as well as coconut milk and fresh green vegetables.
Whipped up a dairy-free sauce with thick coconut cream and nutritional yeast. Added balsamic vinegar and tomato paste to give the sauce a rich tomato taste.
Saves cooking time and effort by cooking whole cherry tomatoes until tender and smashing them with other ingredients in the pan, instead of making tomato sauce separately.
Easy to modify. Additional ingredients suggested in the source include mushrooms, roasted eggplant and zucchini, cannellini beans, spinach, chili oil, chickpeas, and tofu.

Instructions

Boil water in a pot.

Cook the gluten-free fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente.

Heat a skillet and add water, broth, or oil.

Sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes, adding water as needed.

Mix in the Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until caramelized.

Add the cherry tomatoes and water to the skillet.

Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.

Smash the softened tomatoes with a spoon.

Stir in the coconut milk and nutritional yeast, then season with salt and pepper.

Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet.

Toss with the arugula until well combined.

Top with parsley and optional vegan parmesan before serving.

FAQ

Yes, regular pasta can be used as a substitute for gluten-free fettuccine. Follow package directions for cooking times for the pasta you are using. Differences in texture between regular wheat pasta and gluten-free fettuccine are possible. Other steps in the recipe can stay the same. Drain the pasta when it is al dente. Begin testing the pasta for doneness earlier than the time listed for gluten-free fettuccine to prevent over- or undercooking.

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Dinner Pasta Vegan Plant Based Italian Gluten Free Quick Meals

Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Fettuccine with Creamy Coconut Sauce

Name: Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Fettuccine with Creamy Coconut Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: gluten-free fettuccine (4 servings; cook according to package instructions); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 10 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped); sun-dried tomato oil (for sautéing, if possible); 2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes; 2 cups baby arugula; 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped); 7 oz full-fat canned coconut milk (use the thick cream from the top of the can); 3 tbsp tomato paste; 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (provides a cheesy flavor); 1 tbsp Italian seasoning; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 cup water or vegetable broth (for simmering and thinning); salt (to taste); black pepper (to taste); vegan parmesan (optional, for garnish)

By Mason BrooksOct 7, 2026

Prep

5 min

Cook

20 min

Total

25 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Saves time during the week because the recipe booklet says the recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare, and much of the time needed to prepare the recipe is spent preparing a sauce in a skillet.
Uses typical cooking utensils, such as pots and pans, spoons, and sieves, to prepare the dish without other kitchen tools, such as a blender.
Restricts ingredients needed to prepare the meal to fettuccine, tomato products, spices, and other common ingredients, as well as coconut milk and fresh green vegetables.
Whipped up a dairy-free sauce with thick coconut cream and nutritional yeast. Added balsamic vinegar and tomato paste to give the sauce a rich tomato taste.
Saves cooking time and effort by cooking whole cherry tomatoes until tender and smashing them with other ingredients in the pan, instead of making tomato sauce separately.
Easy to modify. Additional ingredients suggested in the source include mushrooms, roasted eggplant and zucchini, cannellini beans, spinach, chili oil, chickpeas, and tofu.

Ingredients

Servings4

•gluten-free fettuccine (4 servings; cook according to package instructions)
•4 cloves garlic (minced)
•10 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
•sun-dried tomato oil (for sautéing, if possible)
•2 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
•2 cups baby arugula
•½ cup flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
•7 oz full-fat canned coconut milk (use the thick cream from the top of the can)
•3 tbsp tomato paste
•3 tbsp nutritional yeast (provides a cheesy flavor)
•1 tbsp Italian seasoning
•1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
•1 cup water or vegetable broth (for simmering and thinning)
•salt (to taste)
•black pepper (to taste)
•vegan parmesan (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1
Boil water in a pot.
2
Cook the gluten-free fettuccine according to package instructions until al dente.
3
Heat a skillet and add water, broth, or oil.
4
Sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 2 minutes, adding water as needed.
5
Mix in the Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste.
6
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until caramelized.
7
Add the cherry tomatoes and water to the skillet.
8
Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
9
Smash the softened tomatoes with a spoon.
10
Stir in the coconut milk and nutritional yeast, then season with salt and pepper.
11
Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
12
Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet.
13
Toss with the arugula until well combined.
14
Top with parsley and optional vegan parmesan before serving.