Raw Vegan Pasta Pomodorini

Pasta pomodorini is one of my favorite pastas. It’s basically cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil sauteed and tossed with spaghetti. Very simple, yet so delicious. To me it’s the epitome of an Italian dish, simple with the purity of the ingredients speaking for itself without any fuss. Perfection! So of course, I had to make a raw vegan pasta pomodorini. I must say, it’s pretty darn good. It’s easy, simple, tasty, and refreshing. You can get it done in 15 minutes, so it’s great for when you don’t want to do a bunch of work in the kitchen.

Let’s get started. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, then put them in a bowl. Add in minced garlic, salt, and olive oil and mix it well. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

If you own a dehydrator, you can dehydrate it too for more of a sauteed texture. Dehydrating will intensify the tomato flavor and soften them just like cooked version. If you choose to dehydrate the cherry tomatoes, lay them out, cut side up on the tray with the silicone liner and dehydrate for about 2 hours at 115℉ (46℃). I like both non-dehydrated and the dehydrated versions. I enjoy the pop of the non-dehydrated, fresh cherry tomatoes as well as the cooked soft texture of the dehydrated version. So the dehydrating is purely optional and up to you.

While we are marinating the tomatoes, let’s make the zucchini pasta. If you have a spiralizer like this one from Amazon, it’s really easy to do. Remember, you can get a spiralizer at kitchen equipment stores too!

If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can also use a mandolin slicer and make fettuccine like noodles.

To make the zucchini pasta, chop off the ends of the zucchini before putting it into the spiralizer. Turn the handle until the zucchini turns into zughetti! Magic! Cut through the zughetti a few times to shorten it, so it’s easier to eat.

I used yellow zucchini to make it look more like pasta for pictures, but you can use regular green zucchini too. As a matter of fact, I usually use the regular zucchini. Put the zughetti into a bowl. Lightly drizzle some olive oil, and add a pinch of salt. Massage the noodles until they soften, and let them sit for a few minutes. Zucchini will release some water as it sits.

Right before you’re ready to serve, ring out the noodles. Add in the cherry tomatoes and basil, and toss well. Taste test at this point and add salt to taste. If you like it more garlicy, feel free to add more garlic powder.

Transfer onto a plate, and garnish with some more basil leaves. You can drizzle more olive oil if you’d like too. Be sure to serve immediately because the zucchini noddles will release more water as they sit.

So simple, yet delicious. It’s my go to dish when I want something fast. Enjoy!

Raw Vegan Pasta Pomodorini

 

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Cook time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Mariko Sakata

Cuisine: raw food, raw vegan, gluten-free

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 35 cherry tomato
• 10 basil leaves julienned
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 
  

Zucchini pasta

• 4 large zucchini
• A light drizzle of olive oil
• A pinch of salt
• 
  

Finishing touches

• Some salt and garlic powder to taste
• Some basil leaves for garnish
• Light drizzle of olive oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, then put them in a bowl. Add in minced garlic, salt, and olive oil and mix it well. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
2. Make the zucchini pasta while marinating.

Dehydration (optional)

1. If you own a dehydrator, you can dehydrate the cherry tomatoes for more of a sauteed texture. Dehydrating will intensify the tomato flavor and soften them just like cooked version. If you choose to dehydrate the cherry tomatoes, lay out the marinating cherry tomatoes, cut side up on the tray with the silicone liner and dehydrate for about 2 hours at 115℉ (46℃).
2. Start making the zucchini pasta when the dehydration is almost done.

Zucchini Pasta

To make with a spiralizer:

1. Fit your ⅛ inch spacing blade. Top and tail the zucchini, and place it onto the spiralizer and turn the handle to make the noodles.
2. Chop it a few times so that the noodles aren't too long, and easier to eat.
3. Transfer the noodles into a bowl and lightly drizzle some olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the zucchini pasta until it soften and set it aside until it releases water for about 2-3 minutes.
4. Right before serving, ring the noodles out well.

To make with a mandoline slicer:

1. Top and tail the zucchini, and slice the zucchini length wise.
2. Stack the slices and cut them into fettuccine size noodles.
3. Transfer the noodles into a bowl and lightly drizzle some olive oil and a pinch of salt. Massage the zucchini pasta until it softens and set it aside until it releases water for about 2-3 minutes.
4. Right before serving, ring the noodles out well.

Assembly

1. Add in the cherry tomatoes and basil to the zucchini pasta and toss well. Taste test and add salt to taste. If you like it more garlicy, feel free to add more garlic powder.
2. Transfer onto a plate, and garnish with some more basil leaves. You can drizzle more olive oil if you'd like. Be sure to serve immediately because the zucchini noddles will release more water as they sit.

Notes

Dehydrating the cherry tomatoes are purely optional and up to you. I like both non-dehydrated and the dehydrated versions, as I enjoy the pop of the non-dehydrated fresh cherry tomatoes, as well as the cooked soft texture of the dehydrated version.

Yellow zucchini is used for zucchini pasta in the pictures, but you can use regular green zucchini.

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