One Tray Roasted Onion and Tomato Rigatoni with Roasted Garlic and Chili Oil
This creamy roasted onion and tomato pasta is what happens when you let your oven do all the work. Thinly sliced onions and cherry tomatoes get roasted on a tray with a whole garlic bulb until the onions are deeply caramelized, the tomatoes have burst, and everything is sweet, jammy, and incredibly flavorful.
Then you stir in vegan cream cheese, chili oil, and fresh basil right on the tray, toss in the cooked rigatoni, and dinner is done. It’s giving baked feta pasta vibes but with way more depth from the caramelized onions and roasted garlic. One tray, minimal cleanup, maximum flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Roasted Onion and Tomato Pasta
- Deeply caramelized onions that roast hands-off in the oven for 45 minutes
- Burst cherry tomatoes that turn sweet and jammy
- A whole roasted garlic bulb squeezed right into the sauce for incredible flavor
- Everything roasts on one tray so cleanup is a breeze
How to Make Creamy Roasted Onion and Tomato Pasta
Full recipe in the card below. Here’s the step by step.
Spread seasoned onions and cherry tomatoes on a baking tray with a whole garlic bulb in the center. Cover with foil and roast.
Squeeze the roasted garlic into the tray. Add vegan cream cheese, chili oil, and fresh basil.
Mix everything together until the cream cheese melts into a silky, creamy sauce with the caramelized onions and burst tomatoes.
Toss in the cooked rigatoni and reserved pasta water. Mix until every piece is coated in the creamy sauce.
What Makes This Baked Pasta Different
If you loved the viral baked feta pasta trend, this takes that concept to a whole new level. Instead of just roasting tomatoes with a block of cheese, you’re building layers of flavor from caramelized onions, a whole roasted garlic bulb, smoked paprika, and chili oil. The vegan cream cheese melts into everything to create a silky, creamy sauce that coats every piece of rigatoni. It’s richer, more complex, and honestly more satisfying.
Tips for the Best Creamy Roasted Onion and Tomato Pasta
- Slice the onions thin. They caramelize better and melt into the sauce
- Cover the tray with foil. This traps steam so the onions soften and caramelize instead of drying out
- Don’t skip the pasta water. It helps the cream cheese melt into a silky sauce that clings to the rigatoni
- Use rigatoni or penne. Tube shapes catch the sauce inside and out
- Use a mix of colored cherry tomatoes for the best visual impact
- Time the pasta to finish when the tray comes out so everything comes together hot
Storage and Leftovers
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days in an airtight container
- Reheat with a splash of plant milk or water to bring back the creaminess
- Tastes great reheated in a pan on the stove or in the microwave
- Not ideal for freezing as the cream cheese sauce can separate
Frequently Asked Questions about this Creamy Roasted Onion and Tomato Pasta
Yes. Rigatoni is ideal because the tubes catch all the sauce, but penne, fusilli, or even shells would work great.
Chili oil is olive oil or neutral oil infused with red pepper flakes and spices. You can find it at most grocery stores in the international aisle, or make your own by heating oil with red pepper flakes. It adds a gentle warmth and beautiful color to the dish.
Sure. Just drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and add a pinch of red pepper flakes instead. You’ll get a similar warmth.
Covering with foil is important. It traps steam which helps the onions caramelize and the tomatoes burst properly. Without it, the onions can dry out before they soften.
Any plain or original flavor vegan cream cheese works. Brands like Violife, Miyoko’s, or Kite Hill all melt well into the hot roasted vegetables.
Absolutely. Roasted bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms would all be great additions. Add them to the tray with the onions and tomatoes before roasting.
You can roast the tray of vegetables ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready, reheat the tray, cook fresh pasta, and combine.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
Love caramelized onions in pasta? We have two more you need to try. Our Creamy Vegan Caramelized Onion Pasta is made entirely on the stovetop with a rich, silky sauce. And our original Creamy Caramelized Onion Pasta is a sweet and savory classic that’s been a reader favorite. This roasted version is the hands-off, oven baked take with burst tomatoes and chili oil that makes it its own thing entirely.
Browse more recipes at Dr. Vegan.
Creamy Roasted Onion and Tomato Pasta
Equipment
- Large baking tray
- aluminum foil
- Large pot for pasta
- Colander
Ingredients
- 3 large onions thinly sliced
- 400 g cherry tomatoes whole
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 200 g vegan cream cheese
- 2 tbsp chili oil
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 120 ml reserved pasta water
- 2 tbsp vegan parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Prep the baking tray. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Add the sliced onions to a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss everything together until well coated.
- Add tomatoes and garlic. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the onions. Slice the top off the garlic bulb to expose the cloves and nestle it in the center of the tray. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Roast. Bake covered for 40 to 45 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and the tomatoes have burst and released their juices.
- Cook the pasta. While the tray roasts, cook the rigatoni in salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Make the sauce. Remove the tray from the oven. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the bulb into the tray. Add the vegan cream cheese, chili oil, and fresh basil. Stir everything together until the cream cheese melts into a creamy sauce.
- Combine and serve. Add the cooked rigatoni and reserved pasta water to the tray. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated in the creamy sauce. Top with vegan parmesan, garnish with extra basil, and serve straight from the tray.