This stunning vegan pesto pasta has big pesto flavors of emerald basil, ripe cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s perfection on a plate.
Pesto pasta without cheese? Yes, it’s possible! While emerald green pesto sauce traditionally gets its flavor from parmesan, Alex and I decided it was high time for an easy vegan version of our lives. And when we’ve created a fabulous vegan basil pesto, why not on pasta? We tried a vegan version of our favorite pesto pasta recipe and I have to say we almost liked it better than the original! Silky and savory basil pesto wraps the tender pasta, punctuated by cherry tomatoes. In short, it’s summer perfection. Read on for the recipe!
How to make vegan pesto pasta
The most laborious part of this vegan pesto pasta is making the homemade vegan pesto! If you can find store-bought vegan pesto, you are of course welcome to use it – this recipe is even quicker. (And be sure to let us know which brands you like in the comments below!) But for the best no-cheese pesto pasta, you have to make the pesto at home.
Making vegan pesto requires a healthy amount of basil and a food processor. You can also use a blender, but we would try a smaller blender or an immersion blender due to the amount of ingredients. The old-fashioned way, of course, is to use a mortar and pestle: so if you’ve got one, you might as well try that!
How to make vegan pesto pasta:
- Mix pesto: In a food processor, blend cashews, miso, garlic, fresh basil, lemon juice, and olive oil until thickened.
- Cook pasta: Cook pasta al dente, then drain.
- Combine: Mix the pesto with the pasta, chopped cherry tomatoes, olive oil and some pasta water to form a fluffy sauce. Enjoy immediately!
The magic ingredient of our vegan pesto
It’s difficult to imitate the savory taste of Parmesan cheese in a vegan pesto. There’s parmesan for that, right? However, we have found a botanical ingredient that works like a charm. The magic of our vegan cashew pesto is… drum roll… miso!
Miso is a Japanese ingredient: it is a fermented soybean paste. If you’ve never eaten miso before, it might seem odd to include it in a vegan Italian recipe. But before I write: the taste is incredible. Have you ever eaten miso soup? It’s flavorful, hearty, salty and super complex. If you’re vegan, you’ve probably cooked with it because it mimics the taste of meat so well. It’s full of umami, the so-called fifth taste, which is the definition of savory. You’ll find umami in meat, mushrooms, cheese… and of course, miso!
The other key ingredient in vegan pesto is, of course, fresh basil! Read on for more…
How to grow and store fresh basil
Pesto recipes call for lots of fresh basil: no wonder, since traditionally everyone in Italy had basil plants on their property. Alex and I strongly recommend planting basil if you can. They don’t even need space in the garden: just a pot and a sunny ledge! It’s way, way cheaper than buying basil from the store: especially when a recipe calls for 2 cups of basil leaves!
Here are some of our basil resources:
- How to grow basil: If you want to grow your own basil plant, we have a step-by-step guide.
- save the basil: If you harvest branches of your basil plant and bring them indoors, they will wither very quickly. For easy storage, find a large glass jar with balls and put some water on the bottom. Then place the basil stems in, cut side down. Add the top and it stays fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days!
How to cook pasta al dente
When Alex and I visited Italy on our honeymoon, we really tried pasta al dente for the first time. And it was breathtaking! It wasn’t the sticky, gooey stuff we used to taste in the States. The pasta was so firm that you really had to bite through each piece: that made it infinitely more satisfying. When we got home we knew we had to find out for ourselves.
Many references to pasta packaging call for overcooking! To cook the pasta al dente for this Vegan Pesto Pasta Recipe, follow these steps:
- Boil it in a large pot of boiling water.
- Always start with the taste tests a few minutes before the instructions on the package indicate this. The noodles should be tender but still firm inside so they’re a little crispy. Be careful: pasta can go from al dente to overcooked in minutes!
Looking for more vegan pasta recipes?
This Vegan Pesto Pasta is one of our favorite vegan pasta recipes; here are a few others we like:
This vegan pesto pasta recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free.
The description
This stunning vegan pesto pasta has big pesto flavors of emerald basil, ripe cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. It’s perfection on a plate.
- 8 ounces Bucatini pasta (or spaghetti)*
- ½ cup Homemade vegan cashew pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1/4 at 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
- Prepare the vegan cashew pesto.
- Heat a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, checking to see if it’s done a few minutes before package directions (noodles should be tender but still slightly firm). Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water.
- When the noodles are done, drain and return to the pan. Add pesto, olive oil, reserved cooking water, sliced cherry tomatoes, and ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt and stir. Taste and add salt if needed (exact amount will depend on the pesto and water in your pasta, so it will vary – salt until the flavor comes through!). If you want a lighter sauce, you can also stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately.
Remarks
*This amount makes 3-4 modest servings, so you may need to double the amount depending on how hungry your eaters are.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Italian
Keywords: Vegan Pasta with Pesto, Vegan Pasta, Vegan Basil Pesto, Vegan Pasta Recipes, Pasta with Pesto
