Ten ingredients and a tahini sauce that will make you want to lick the pan. This basil tahini pasta with burst tomatoes and mushrooms is a weeknight dinner champion ready in about 50 minutes. This vegan pasta dinner is also completely nut-free. As one reader put it: “The tahini and lemon really made the sauce, which was the highlight of an amazing dish that will go into regular rotation.” Finish with a generous shower of vegan parmesan on top.
I make a simple and tangy basil tahini cream and fold that into pasta with mushrooms and jammy, burst tomatoes. The tahini brings richness and a subtle nuttiness, the lemon keeps it bright, and the basil ties everything together with a fresh herby note. This is the kind of sauce that works hard for its minimal ingredient count. Great for a weeknight!
The mushrooms are an excellent companion to the rich sauce. The seared mushroom slices soak up the tahini pasta sauce and add a satisfying meatiness that makes this feel like a complete meal. If you have good garden tomatoes and basil at the end of summer, this is an excellent use for both.
This pasta does not freeze well and is best eaten fresh. The sauce can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will firm up and thicken a bit! Just cook the pasta fresh when you’re ready to eat, using some of the pasta cooking water to loosen it up.
Creamy Basil Tahini Pasta with Mushrooms & Burst Tomatoes (Vegan)
Ingredients
Basil Tahini
- ½ cup tahini
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup basil leaves, packed (plus extra for garnish)
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup cold water, plus extra if necessary
Pasta
- ¾ lb (340 grams) shaped pasta of choice (penne and rotini are great)
- 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cups cherry/grape tomatoes
- ¾ lb (340) grams cremini mushrooms, sliced
- red pepper flakes, to taste
Equipment
- Food Processor
Notes
- I personally love red lentil-based pasta right now. It has a nice bit of chew once cooked as well. It tastes a little lentil-y, but I enjoy it.
- The pasta is nice and green as soon as it’s freshly tossed and hot. It then lightly fades over to the beige-ish-green side. Extra basil for garnishing is key! Just preparing you for the realistic visual :)
- This pasta could handle a lot of chopped greens if you’re into that. Just throw them in at the end of the mushroom cooking process and wilt with the pasta and basil tahini sauce.
Instructions
- Make the basil tahini: in a food processor, combine the tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper. Pulse the machine until the basil is finely chopped and incorporated. With the motor running, drizzle the cold water into the feed tube until you have a creamy but still loose consistency, similar to table cream. Add more water if necessary and check the basil tahini for seasoning. Adjust and set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the salted and starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil a large, deep skillet (or braiser) over medium heat. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and stir. Keep stirring the tomatoes until they are lightly browned, glistening, and starting to burst. You will have to use the back of your spoon to get this process going. I find this takes a good 8-10 minutes total. Scrape the burst tomatoes out into a bowl and give the skillet a good wipe
- Return the skillet to the heat with the remaining olive oil. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and let them sit for a full 2 minutes. Then, stir the mushrooms and season them with pepper. Let them sit another full minute. Then start stirring them again. They should be lightly browned and glistening. Season the mushrooms with salt. Continue letting them cook until evenly browned, soft, and glistening.
- Add the pasta to the skillet along with the basil tahini. Stir everything up until evenly combined and warmed through. Season the pasta with salt and pepper and stir. If the pasta seems a little dry, add some of the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency. Transfer the pasta to your serving vessel and scatter the burst tomatoes on top along with the extra basil and red pepper flakes. Serve and enjoy immediately.
Made this last night having not made it since last summer. I forgot how much I loved this sauce. A bit of spring when it is cold out in Ontario. Truly delicious! I use chickpea pasta which has a nice bite. The remaining sauce I will either freeze or use as a dip for veggies etc.
Do you think this could work with cilantro and/or Kale instead of basil?
I think kale or any chopped greens that you like would be wonderful!
-L
This was such a wonderful recipe. So tasty. The tahini and lemon really made the sauce which was the highlight of an amazing dish. Thank you so much for the truly remarkable dish that will go into regular rotation and, of course, the breathtaking photography. Just fantastic! Thank you for sharing your talents and skills.
Hi, wld I be able to freeze the sauce?
Hi Trish,
I haven’t tried freezing the sauce, but I don’t think it would work out. The freshness of the basil would turn and I think you might get some separation/texture issues with the tahini upon thawing.
-L
No matter what kind of recipe you publish – I am craving EVERYTHING you come up with. That is what proper healthy and delicious food should look like – always! Also, the way you appreciate all the ingredients while arranging everything so beautifully is pure bliss. I love what you do and I am looking forward to being constantly inspired by your ideas in the future. Wishing you all the best! XX
Gorgeous and creamy, easy to make and I used with Gluten free pasta. Really delicious. You could add bacon or walnuts for a alternatie version. Change up the mushroom for different flavours
You sound like how I’m feeling tonight, but for different reasons. This has been in many ways the summer of my discontent though I keep telling myself to focus on the good things each day.
I made this for dinner tonight and it hit the spot. I felt nourished in body and I thank you for that. One more item to put on my gratitude list.
Stay cool out there and here’s to the fall ahead, and more importantly, the new day tomorrow.
Wow, this was fantastic! Great way to use tahini. I think this will become one of my go-to recipes :)
i’m not a big fan of mushrooms, can you think of a sub? would zucchini work well in this sauce?
Zucchini would be fine!
-L
Yep. I am in the NW and the smoke from the wildfires and record breaking heat this summer has me totally scared and so sad. And I have been ridiculously busy with vacay and now LIFE (I am moving to a new town and buying a house for the first time, soooo, a little stressful). Trying to just slow down and breathe.
“I tie my value to my outputs, and that kind of thinking is difficult to rewire.”
I totally hear you!
I just read this article yesterday about to-do lists, I thought I’d give it a try…
https://www.becomingminimalist.com/to-do/
…the pasta looks lovely…
this looks beyond delicious. can’t wait to try it!
i’m just wondering how you get stuff from thrive market sent to canada? every time i try and sign up, they still don’t offer shipping here??
Thanks Charlotte! My situation is a little different as I live close to a US border and my partner has a post office box on the other side. Hopefully they extend their service soon!
-L
The heat and the fires have me wishing for cooler weather as well. It is pretty smokey where we are and it’s hard to be outside too long. I look forward to rain and to soups :)
I so relate to the experience of dreaming up big seasonal plans and then feeling anxious and guilty when my productivity doesn’t match up to my vision. So easy to tell your friends not to stress, to take it easy on themselves, but so hard to truly internalize that for yourself.
Looking forward to trying this recipe soon!
Looks delish and simple! May I ask what tahini product or brand you preferably used in your recipes? Thanks.
Thanks so much! I love all of these brands for tahini: Soom Foods, Seed + Mill, Shirley Bar Living, and Thrive Market’s house branded one.
-L
I want that red lentil pasta. It looks delicious! What I’m over about summer the most is the constant heat wave! I LOVE it when it’s in the high 60s-low 80s (in Fahrenheit, that is). I’m just not excited about feeling so stressed out with school! It’s going to be INSANE this year!
I love your posts, this summer has flown by! Can’t wait to make this pasta.
I made this tonight- amazing! Seriously delicious. Will definitely be making this again – we have a ton of beautiful basil growing away on the patio! ❤️
Ohhhh how I love this delicious twist on a summer pasta! That sauce sounds incredible! Making this recipe for the fam this weekend! Thanks Lau! Ps your photos are not even human, you’ll always be my inspiration and mentor xoxo love you
Natalie
I am right there with you with summer thoughts and reflections. The business of this season has gotten me all out of sorts! Thankfully fall will soon be in the air which means a slowed down pace and comfy cozy clothes!
Thank you for this wonderful post. Reminds me I’m not alone in the craziness of life!
On my list for when summer arrives in this hemisphere; our days are lengthening and warming.
An interesting combination I never would have thought of and can’t get a mental taste of. So a real taste will be needed.