Description
This vegan broccoli pesto pasta is flavorful, comforting, and healthy! Enjoy the light and fresh flavors of basil, garlic, and lemon tossed with gluten-free pasta. Serve with broccoli and vegan parmesan.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8oz pasta (rotini, penne, or shells) (gluten-free or grain-free if needed)
- 3 heaping cups broccoli florets (~1 large head)
- 1.5 cups basil, tightly packed
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted*
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 cup water
For serving (optional)
- Broccoli (prepare extra if planning to serve)
- Vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- Pine nuts
Instructions
- Prepare the broccoli: Warm a frying pan on medium-low heat. Add broccoli florets along with a dash of oil or plain water. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until bright green and slightly tender. Transfer broccoli to a plate and place in the refrigerator to cool down.
- Toast the pine nuts: Warm the frying pan on low heat. Add pine nuts and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, or until light golden brown. Be careful to not burn them. Remove pine nuts from the frying pan immediately and set aside to cool.
- Prepare the pesto: Add broccoli, basil, nutritional yeast, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and water to a food processor. Process ingredients until a thick paste if formed. You can make the pesto as chunky or as smooth as you’d like. Add additional water to thin the consistency, if desired.
- Prepare the pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions. I recommend salting the pasta water with 1-2 tsp salt, and cooking the pasta al dente. After, drain water and rinse pasta.
- Combine: Transfer pasta back to the pot and add pesto. Mix together to evenly coat the pasta. Serve with (optional) more broccoli, vegan parmesan, nutritional yeast, and/or pine nuts.
Notes
- *If you don’t have pine nuts, you can use raw walnuts instead. I recommend toasting the walnuts the same way you’d toast pine nuts.
- Nutrition information below reflects 8oz chickpea pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 383
- Sugar: 7g
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 21g
