Angel Hair Pasta in Red Wine Marinara Sauce

Name: Angel Hair Pasta in Red Wine Marinara Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/2 cups finely chopped mushrooms; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 1/4 cups marinara sauce; 1/3 cup red wine; 1 bay leaf (optional); salt and pepper to taste; 1/2 cup vegan cheese shreds; handful of fresh basil, shredded or a pinch of dried basil; 2 servings angel hair pasta (approx 160 g); vegan parmesan cheese, optional for garnish; pinch of chilli flakes, optional for garnish

by Olivia Biermann on Jan 24, 2022 (updated Dec 19, 2025)

Jump to Recipe·5 from 1 review

This pasta with red wine sauce is bold and effortless, making it perfect for an elevated weeknight dinner, or a last minute dinner party plate. Rich, silky, and layered with savoury depth that builds as you eat. It’s ready in just 20 minutes, but tastes of restaurant quality, it’s a mood setting dish that I am always in the mood for!

side view of saucy pasta twirled and scooped up by a fork from a grey plate on a white background.

After 15 years in the kitchen, I’ve learned that my most memorable vegan meals often come from leaning into a single fun or bold idea and just going for it. A personal favourite to go along with this rich pasta is my popular vegan garlic bread.

This red wine pasta sauce was new territory for me, so testing was key in the development. The pasta turned out to be delightfully moody, flavoured and unexpectedly elegant.

Red wine belongs in the pan

I love cooking with wine! It isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a technique that taught me wine isn’t just about flavour, but the structure and colour of the sauce itself.

As the pasta absorbs the wine, it takes on a deep hue and depth of flavour you just can’t fake with sauces that you layer on afterward. Angel hair, although naturally delicate, is still one of my favourites to work with.

Let your eyes be the judge!

Let the wine reduce until it lightly coats the pasta, not the pan. If it still looks thin, pools or smells sharp, give it another minute. That will let it turn rich instead of harsh.

overhead view of saucy pasta set atop a black plate over a gray background, next to a fork and a jar of nutritional yeast.

A dinner party’s best friend

I keep this dish in my back pocket for when I want dinner to look and feel intentional without turning the night into a whole production. It delivers comfort every time without taking your attention and time away from what actually matters (catching up on new episodes of my show).

It’s weeknight friendly: it comes together with simple steps, making it a breeze to get dinner on the table, even after a long day.
Perfect for a dinner party or date night. All eaters will love this flavourful vegan pasta, whether they call themselves plant-based or not.
Uses simple ingredients – you might already have all the ingredients on hand, and if not, they should be easy to find at the grocery store.

What repeat testing made clear:

After running my recipe through enough dinners and mouths to trust it, a few things stuck out to me:

I think wine choice matters! Drinkable, dry red wine creates balance you can feel. Harsh wine… stays harsh.
I’ve had my fair share of fragile angel hair, but now I time it right and give it some patience for the perfect texture.
Minimalism works! When the base is strong, you don’t need all the fancy extras and expensive flavour add-ins. They may be fun, but this pasta is just as good kept simple.