The Ultimate Vegan Pesto Pasta Recipe

(Last Updated On: July 5, 2022)

Pasta, pasta, pesto pasta.. it’s got to be one of the ultimate comfort foods. I absolutely love it! I could eat it all day and night. It’s quick, easy and cheap and you don’t need 5 pieces of kitchen equipment to make it. It’s always at the top of my list when I’m travelling and don’t want to spend 2 hours in a kitchen. When travelling there are many other places I’d rather be than in a hostel or Airbnb kitchen. This vegan pesto pasta recipe is my go-to when I need a simple, healthy and filling meal.

This vegan basil pesto pasta recipe has 5 ingredients or less and takes 20 mins to make. All my recipes use basic utensils you can normally find in a home, hostel or hotel kitchenette. Each recipe is based around natural, wholesome, nourishing ingredients.

In some countries such as those in South East Asia, it’s much cheaper and probably more delicious to get some local street food than buying imported ingredients such as pasta in a supermarket. However, this is a perfect solution for those looking for a healthy, natural meal and travelling in places where supermarket prices are a lot cheaper than the average meal out.

All recipes are plant-based because that’s how I roll (mostly) but feel free to add all the parmesan you want. Bon appetit!

Vegan Pesto Pasta Recipe

Pesto requires a little more work if you don’t have an electric mixer to make it but it can still be done. In Italy, it’s traditionally made using just a chopping board and large long sharp knife. The end result is somewhat chunky this way but you can really taste all those nuts and herbs.

You can also use any herb or leafy green you like with this if you can’t have basil. Oregano, parsley, coriander, kale, spinach and chard work amazingly too. I love to try a mix of herb and green like basil and kale or spinach and oregano. Same goes for the nuts. You don’t have to use pine nuts which traditionally go in pesto. Walnuts and almonds work well too.

RECIPE

Serving: 2

Time: 20 mins

Equipment: chopping board, large knife, large pot for boiling the pasta, a small bowl and two plates to serve.

Ingredients:

1 cup of basil or other herb/leafy green

1 small garlic clove

A handful of pine nuts, walnuts or almonds

5 tbsps olive oil

Salt and pepper

200g pasta of choice, I used fettuccine.

Optional: Cherry tomatoes or olives stirred in at the end for some variety

Put a pot 3/4 full of water with 1 tbsp of salt on the stovetop. Cover and let it start heating up.

Start by chopping up the garlic clove and putting half the basil and half your nuts on chopping board. Chop it up until fine (good knife skills really help here). Add the rest of the nuts and basil and continue chopping until you get a really fine crumb. The more you chop the finer it will be.

Once your water is boiling throw in the pasta and follow the cooking instructions on the packet. Cook until al dente, then strain using a colander or by leaving the lid on and tilting the pot over the sink to let the water out. (Be careful you don’t burn yourself or to lose the pasta).

Transfer the pesto crumb into a small bowl. Add 5 tbsps of olive oil, salt, pepper to taste. Feel free to add more olive oil if you prefer a more liquidy, oily pesto. Add the pesto to the pasta and stir till combined. Serve and let the feast begin.