(Recipe) Lemony basil creamy vegan pasta with broccoli & sun-dried tomatoes

Introduction

Creamy Vegan Pasta made in 25 minutes or less!!! Perfectly al dente vegan pasta tossed with sautéed bell pepper, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, & an easy homemade lemony basil creamy vegan pasta sauce made from cashews. The easiest healthy pasta recipe – it’s totally dairy-free, vegan & filled with veggies!

  • totally creamy, but totally vegan (say whaaat?!)
  • completely healthy (it’s basically a skillet full of veggies!)
  • full of springtime vibes (comforting, but so super fresh)
  • so freakin’ easy to throw together
  • 100% weeknight friendly (made start-to-finish in less than 25 minutes!)

Recipe from playswellwithbutter.com

lemony basil creamy vegan pasta with broccoli & sundried tomatoes

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole wheat pasta (see Recipe Notes)
  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (see Recipe Notes)
  • 4 ounces arugula (a few handfuls)
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

lemon basil cashew cream sauce:

  • 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. Add in the pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions. About 2 minutes before the pasta is al dente, add the broccoli florets to the pot to cook with the pasta as the pasta finishes cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  2. Make the lemon basil cashew cream sauce: Add all listed ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  3. Cook the veggies: Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion and bell pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften slightly, 3-4 minutes. Once softened, add the sun-dried tomatoes and arugula to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sun-dried tomatoes soften and the arugula wilts slightly, 1-2 minutes.
  4. Finish the creamy vegan pasta: Once the veggies are ready, add the drained pasta & broccoli to the skillet. Pour the lemon basil cashew cream sauce over top. Toss to combine, adding a little of the reserved starchy pasta water as you go to reach your desired consistency. Taste and season additionally with salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Pasta: Obviously, to make this pasta vegan, use your favorite vegan pasta. I love DeLallo’s whole wheat pastas – they’re totally vegan-friendly. While I prefer a textured short noodle for this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta recipe (it clings to the sauce really nicely – pictured here is rigatoni), you can use whatever shape you like best.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes: I find 3 ounce bags of sliced sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joe’s & they work really well for this recipe. You’ll want to make sure to use dried sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe, not the kind that comes packed in oil, to ensure your creamy vegan pasta doesn’t get super oily.

More recipes

(Recipe) Vegan Sweet Potato Ravioli with Sautéed Mushrooms

Vegan Sweet Potato Ravioli! An easy vegan pasta dough encloses a creamy sweet potato filling [...]

(Recipe) Date-Sweetened Baklava

A vegan and refined sugar-free baklava that is sweetened with dates and will definitely hit [...]

(Recipe) Creamy Parsnip Soup Recipe

Welcome to our weekly culinary showcase! This week, we're excited to share with you a [...]

(Recipe) Greek Lasagna: Pastitsio

This recipe is called pastitsio and it’s the Greek answer to lasagne, although some people [...]

(Recipe) Baked Apples: A Delightful Dessert

If you've accidentally bought too many apples and are looking for a creative and tasty [...]

(Recipe) Beef Stew with Red Cabbage

This beef stew recipe marries a traditional Dutch stew with tender beef for a comforting [...]

(Recipe) Easy Valentine’s Cookies

Celebrate your loved one with the delightful taste of Heart-Shaped Vegan Valentine's Cookies. Create a [...]

(Recipe) Chickpea & Spinach Coconut Curry

As we step into the refreshing embrace of February, it's the perfect time to invigorate [...]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies.