Delicious, creamy pesto pasta that’s vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and made with a cashew-based pesto. A hearty, flavorful plant-based meal or side that’s high in protein.

Would you believe me if I told you that this pasta dish is high in protein? That’s right! Contrary to the popular belief that pasta is loaded with carbs, this dish is actually very high in protein.

There’s a few healthy swaps I made to bump up the protein factor. The first is using chickpea pasta. Instead of traditional pasta made with flour, this pasta is made with chickpeas! How neat is that? Chickpeas are high in protein, fiber, and zinc.

The base of this pesto is made from cashews – one of my favorite nuts because it’s so versatile! I use cashews in some of my raw vegan desserts.

Cashews are low in sugar and rich in fiber, heart-healthy fats, and plant protein. They’re also a good source of copper, magnesium, and manganese — nutrients important for energy production, brain health, immunity, and bone health. 

I usually make pesto with pine nuts or walnuts but decided to experiment and use cashews instead and I was blown away at how delicious it was!

I follow a plant-based diet, so I am always looking for ways to sneak in a little extra protein. If you’re curious, one serving of this pasta dish has around 20 grams of protein! That’s amazing, isn’t it?

Whether you’re looking to get more protein into your diet or not, this Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta recipe is a must-try. The entire dish comes together in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for a quick dinner that’s filling and nutritious, yet delicious!

If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag a picture #livingwellwithnic on Instagram! I’d love to see your recipe in real life! Cheers, friends!

Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta

Delicious, creamy pesto pasta that's vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and made with a cashew-based pesto. A hearty, flavorful plant-based meal or side that's high in protein.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

Pesto

• 1 ½ cups Fresh Basil
• 1 cup Raw Cashews
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• 4 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
• ½ Lemon juiced
• ¼ -½ cup Water
• 1 pinch of Salt

Pasta

• 8 oz Pasta (I used Banza Chickpea Pasta) uncooked

Instructions

 

• Fill a medium-sized pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
• In the meantime, prepare pesto. To a food processor or high-speed blender add basil, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, water and salt. Mix to combine. 
• Continue blending, scraping down sides as needed, until creamy and fully combined. If it has trouble blending add a bit more water.
• Next add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package instructions. Be sure not to overcook, and drain when noodles are ‘al dente’. Return to pot, off heat and set aside.
• Add the pesto on top of the pasta and gently stir to combine.
• Serve warm with additional pesto on the side, and garnish generously with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, extra salt, and pepper.
• Best when fresh, though leftovers will keep in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

This pasta dish is gluten-free, grain-free, and oil-free!

Keyword Gluten-Free, grain-free, Pesto, Pesto Pasta, Protein