Description
Vegan pesto pasta makes the perfect summer pasta dish. Light, fresh & full of flavour. The oil & dairy-free pesto is ready in minutes!
Ingredients
The Pesto Sauce:
- 2 cups basil leaves &; thin stems, tightly packed (40 g)*
- 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (can use another roasted nut or seed)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp aquafaba (can use olive oil)
- 4 - 5 tbsp water (as needed to blend)
All The Rest:
- 500 g penne pasta
- 180 g smoked tofu, diced* (or try my tofu feta or tempeh bacon)
- 75 g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (1/2 cup, can use dry-packed for an oil-free option)
Optional Toppings:
- Sprouts
- Pumpkin seeds
*Fresh ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
*If you don’t have enough basil I often add in some parsley, spinach, arugula/rocket, or even carrot tops. Feel free to get creative and use what you have on hand.
- Add all of the pesto sauce ingredients, other than the water, to a food processor or blender. Pulse to combine and slowly add water as needed to thin the sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Cook your pasta according to your package instructions. Cool if desired for a chilled pasta.
- When ready to serve, toss with pesto sauce, diced smoked tofu, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Garnish with fresh sprouts, pumpkin seeds or even something like my tofu feta!
Notes
Approximate Cost: $11.86 Canadian. The pesto sauce recipe makes 200 ml of pesto and costs me $4.03. The smoked tofu makes up the majority of the remaining cost so feel free to substitute with grilled tofu, tempeh bacon, tofu feta, or even something like roasted chickpeas!
Sun-dried tomatoes add great salty, savoury flavour with a hint of sweetness. Feel free to substitute them with fresh grape tomatoes or even something like capers or olives for that salty hit!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired