Vegan Cherry Tomato “Vodka” Sauce

I love a recipe that is easy enough for a weeknight meal and works for a dinner party or date night meal, when you want something just a little bit fancier. This vegan cherry tomato “vodka” sauce checks both those boxes. It’s creamy and comforting, but the juicy cherry tomatoes keep things fresh. With tomato season coming soon, add this one to your rotation.

Vegan Cherry Tomato “Vodka” Sauce Ingredients

Cherry Tomatoes: These are the star of the sauce, bursting with juicy sweetness when cooked down. They add a fresh, vibrant flavor that balances the richness of the dish. Roasting or simmering them brings out their natural sweetness, perfect for blending into a creamy sauce. Use peak-season tomatoes if possible for the best taste.

Shallot: Milder and slightly sweeter than onions, shallots give the sauce a delicate depth. When sautéed, they mellow and infuse the oil with savory flavor. They’re perfect for a refined sauce where you want background flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients.

Oat Milk: This unsweetened extra creamy oat milk adds plant-based richness to the sauce. It creates that traditional “vodka sauce” texture without dairy, making the dish completely vegan. You can also use coconut milk or heavy cream depending on your preference.

Garlic: With six cloves in this recipe, garlic plays a big role in building flavor. It adds a savory, aromatic backbone to the sauce. When combined with herbs and sautéed until fragrant, it enhances the depth and complexity of the tomato base.

Vegan Cherry Tomato “Vodka” Sauce

Recipe by Jenn Lueke

4.6 from 11 votes

Servings

Adjust servings

+

–

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

I love a recipe that is easy enough for a weeknight meal and works for a dinner party or date night meal, when you want something just a little bit fancier. This vegan cherry tomato “vodka” sauce checks both those boxes. It’s creamy and comforting, but the juicy cherry tomatoes keep things fresh. With tomato season coming soon, add this one to your rotation.

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium shallot, minced

• 6  garlic cloves, minced

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, additional to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, additional to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• 20 ounces (2 pints) cherry tomatoes

• 3/4  cup unsweetened extra creamy oat milk (or full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream)

• 1 tablespoon vegan butter (or regular unsalted butter)

• 12 ounces gluten-free rigatoni or penne (I used a corn and rice based pasta)

• fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish (optional)

Directions

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, oregano, salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes and continue cooking until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the cherry tomatoes and mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat (momentarily set the skillet aside) and transfer to a blender or food processor and blend on high speed until completely smooth, 30 to 45 seconds.
• Return the skillet to low heat and pour in the blended tomato sauce. Stir in the oat milk and butter and season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes, and drain. Add the cooked rigatoni to the skillet and toss in the sauce. For best results, let sit, tossed in the sauce, for 10 minutes before serving.
• To serve, divide among four plates and top with chopped basil leaves (if using).

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. 
• Reheating: From refrigerator, microwave until warm, about 2 minutes or heat in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, about 10 minutes. From frozen, thaw in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight, then heat as instructed. 
• Oat milk: Swap the oat milk for full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream. If you’re not dairy-free, swap the vegan butter for regular unsalted butter.

Did you make this recipe?

Snap a photo & tag @jenneatsgoood on INSTAGRAM

sign up for my newsletter

If you try out this recipe, I want to know! 
Leave a comment with a star rating below if you love it.