Ever in a rush to make dinner? Ever crave that delicious, green Italian sauce that just makes everything seem a bit better? I know I do.
This Creamy Pesto Pasta is perfect for those nights at home with a glass, or two, of white wine and "That's Amore" playing in the background.
Pesto is a staple in my household and there are many days that I do not want to go through the effort to make homemade sauce. So, I put a spin on store-bought sauce and it gives exactly the flair to make any pasta contain that "made with love" feeling.
Simple technique, quick preparations, and delectable taste, what more can you ask for?
When I host people at my place for dinner, this is exactly my go-to and most people leave my house asking for the pesto recipe or to take the leftovers home with them!
Ingredients: Serves 4
- Pasta of your choice (500g)
- 1 Broccoli head (around 400g)
- Bag of Spinach (around 250g --- optional for some extra veggie goodness)
- 1 Avocado
- 2 Store-bought vegan Pesto sauces (I use Barilla)
- 1 can of Coconut Milk
- Vegan Mozzarella Cheez (Daiya, Simply Vegan, Trader Joe's, etc)
- Fresh Basil (around 50g)
- 5 Garlic cloves
- Pine nuts (around 50g)
- Rapeseed oil
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Wash and cut the broccoli into small florets, mince the garlic, cut the basil leaves into quarters, and cut the avocado into small chunks.
Boil about 5 liters of water in a large pot. Add 1 tsp of table salt in the water before it comes to a boil.
Cook the pasta around 7 minutes, I always prefer to cook it al denté, especially when I mix it with heated sauce. Soggy, overcooked noodles are not ideal for this dish.
Before the pasta is ready to be strained, scoop some of the starchy pasta water out of the pot (about 30mL, or an espresso glass) and throw it into a saucepan.
Meanwhile, throw the broccoli, pine nuts, and 2 garlic cloves into a medium-sized pan with a tbsp of Rapeseed oil and cook on medium-high heat for 7 minutes, or until the broccoli is gaining a brighter green color. For a healthier alternative, steaming the broccoli is okay too, but try to avoid overcooked and "wet" broccoli.
In the saucepan with the starchy pasta water, add the store-bought Pesto, the Coconut Milk can, 50g of vegan cheez, cut basil, and the rest of the minced garlic. Stir frequently and wait until all of the ingredients combine to make a thick consistency. This process is usually around 8 minutes.
Add the strained pasta with the cooked broccoli and pine nuts, along with the spinach and avocado chunks back into the pasta pot with some olive oil.
Once the Pesto combined with the other ingredients, dump into the pasta and cook on low heat until all the ingredients are smooth and cohesive. Add salt and pepper to your liking.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
I recommend making a simple green salad on the side or a vegan Caprese salad to keep a flavor balance!
This is my boyfriend's favorite dinner and it is so simple to make once you get the hang of it. He almost always fights me for the leftovers for the lunch the next day lol.
Although this dish is extremely Carb heavy, the pesto is worth it :) Also, feel free to try this sauce technique on other dishes, with oven-roasted veggies, your favorite veggie meats, or even on top of some Avocado Toast!
Try out this Creamy Pesto Pasta and let me know what you think by tagging @being.soulfull on Instagram!
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