Learn how to prepare this Vegan pesto pasta with the signature herby taste and creamy texture. Ready in minutes, it’s a treat for the taste buds.
We love a good vegan pasta recipe. After acing the mushroom pasta and avocado pesto pasta, you will adore this vegan pesto pasta!
Why this recipe works
- Easy. You can prepare this recipe in just six simple steps and less than 15 minutes.
- Budget-friendly. It is made using inexpensive ingredients available easily at any grocery store.
- Healthy. Packed with vegetables, healthy fats, and slow-releasing carbs, this works out to be a well-balanced meal!
What we love about this recipe is how simple yet elegant it is. Seriously, people would pay good money for a plate of this pasta!
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Ingredients needed
- Pasta. We used fusilli but any shape of pasta works.
- Baby spinach.
- Basil. Destemmed.
- Olive oil. Extra virgin.
- Pine nuts. We like using pine nuts for their signature flavor in pesto, but other nuts work, too, like walnuts or cashews.
- Salt. To taste.
- Onion. Diced.
- Cherry tomatoes. Cut in halves.
How to make vegan pesto pasta
Simple is an understatement for this recipe. Make the pesto, toss it through the pasta, and you are done!
Step 1: Prepare pasta
Boil water in a cooking pot and add salt before adding your pasta. Depending on your pasta, cook till it is tender but firm to bite.
Step 2: Prepare pesto
Add the spinach, basil, olive oil, and pine nuts in a large mixing bowl and season with salt. Toss to combine thoroughly. Add it to a blender or food processor and process until you get a smooth pasty consistency.
Step 3: Sauté vegetables
Add onions to a skillet and sauté the onions before adding the cherry tomatoes to sauté for 30 more seconds. Once sautéed, season with salt and pepper and take the skillet off the heat.
Step 4: Combine everything
Once cooked, strain your pasta to remove all the pasta water, reserving just a few cups of it for use later on. Mix your pasta with the pesto sauce blended earlier. Mix it well, making sure to coat the pasta evenly.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Add a generous amount of salt to your pasta water to absorb some flavor.
- Mix your boiled pasta to the pesto sauce for the best results.
- To prevent oxidation of basil, blanch the leaves by submerging them in boiling water till bright green and then in cold water to stop them from cooking.
Storage instructions
To store. Any leftovers can be easily refrigerated for up to 4 days, covered.
To freeze. You can either freeze the pesto and pasta separately or together. Frozen pasta keeps well for up to 2 months.
To reheat. Microwave portions of the pasta for 30-40 seconds until hot.
More pasta recipes to try
Frequently asked questions
You can easily make it gluten-free by choosing a gluten-free pasta option such as quinoa pasta or gluten-free pasta.
Yes! It tastes equally good when cold. Leave it in the fridge till it cools off, and enjoy!
Vegan Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Pasta 250 grams
- 1/2 cup Baby Spinach packed
- 1 bunch Basil de-stemmed
- 1/4 cup Pine Nuts
- 1/4 cup Walnuts
- 5 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
- 1/2 small Red Onion diced
- 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes quartered
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, add a liberal amount of salt to it and cook pasta in water till al dente (according to packaging directions).
- Whilst pasta is cooking, combine all the Spinach Basil Pesto ingredients in a food processor and process till almost smooth. Taste and season accordingly.
- To make Cherry Tomato and Red Onion sauté, in a saucepan, heat olive oil up. Add onions and lightly sauté red onion over a low heat until it goes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes to the pan and lightly sauté for half a minute, then take entire pan off the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and set the cooking water aside. Combine drained pasta with Basil Spinach Pesto and add a little amount of the reserved cooking water to loosen the pesto up. Toss well to combine.
- Serve topped with Cherry Tomato and Red Onion sauté.
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