This 8-Ingredient Pea Pesto Pasta recipe is Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, and Healthy! Made with Fresh Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts, this meal is great for a tasty Dinner or Meal Prep.
Author:Caitlin Shoemaker
Prep Time:15 Minutes
Cook Time:10 Minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Yield:4-6 Servings 1x
Category:Main
Method:Stovetop
Cuisine:American
Ingredients
Scale
16 oz. Pasta of Choice
½ cup Pine Nuts
2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
2 cups Fresh Peas (or 2 ¼ cup Frozen)
3–4 cloves Garlic
2 cup Fresh Basil, packed
Juice & Zest of 1 Lemon
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
1+ tbsp Filtered Water
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 cup Fresh Arugula
Instructions
Cook your Pasta according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
In the meantime, add the Pine Nuts to a medium saucepan. Toast over Medium-High heat for 3-4 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Stir continuously with a spatula to prevent burning.
Transfer the Pine Nuts to a separate dish, then return the saucepan to the heat. Add the Nutritional Yeast to the pan and toast for 45-60 seconds, until golden brown. Set aside.
Add the Fresh Peas and Garlic Cloves to the same pan, then cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Drain.
Next, prepare the Pesto. Add the Garlic Cloves, 1 cup of Cooked Peas, the Basil, Lemon Juice and Zest, Red Pepper, Nutritional Yeast, and Salt to a Food Processor. Set 2 tbsp of the toasted Pine Nuts to the side, then add the remainder of them to the machine as well. Blend on high until well incorporated – the mixture should be pretty uniform, but not completely smooth.
Add Filtered Water to the Food Processor 1 tbsp increments, blending until smooth. The Pesto sauce should be thick and creamy, but not runny.
Finally, add the remaining cooked Peas, Pesto Sauce, and Fresh Arugula to the pot of drained Pasta; reheat if necessary. Divide the pasta into bowls, and top with the remaining toasted Pine Nuts.
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 6 days.
Notes
You can use any pasta you’d like for this recipe! I used these Gluten-Free Shells made from Chickpeas.
I have not tested this recipe with any substitutions for the Pine Nuts. However, I believe you could substitute them for equal parts Pumpkin Seeds, if you have an allergy.