Mediterranean Veggie Pesto Pasta

This mediterranean veggie pesto pasta is packed with colourful vegetables and a creamy homemade pesto sauce! The pesto is easy to make, with cashews, butter beans, lots of fresh basil, lemon juice, and more. The veggies are sautéed in one pan while the pasta boils, and the dish comes together in under 30 minutes. Bookmark this delicious pasta recipe because you will be making it on repeat!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 red onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil (see notes for oil-free)
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 zucchini
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup canned artichokes
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 2-3 tbsp capers
• Pinch of salt
• Lemon zest to serve
• 400-450g pasta

Homemade Pesto

• 3/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews
• 1 cup cooked butter beans
• 50g fresh basil leaves (approx)
• 1 lemon (about 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice)
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups water (or creamy non-dairy milk, such as oat milk)

Equipment

• Blender
• 2 large pots

Instructions

1. Boil water for pasta and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Dice or slice the red onion, then add to a large pot or pan on medium heat with olive oil, stirring occasionally.
3. Peel and mince the garlic cloves, then add them to the onions, continuing to stir.
4. Cut the zucchini into half moons and add them to the onions and garlic, stirring and cooking until they’ve softened.
5. Roughly chop the artichokes, and drain and rinse the chickpeas if using canned chickpeas.
6. Add the cherry tomatoes, sliced Kalamata olives, artichokes, cooked chickpeas, capers and Italian seasoning and give it a good mix. Reduce to medium-low heat.
7. Next, prepare the homemade pesto by adding cashews, butter beans, fresh basil leaves, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt and water to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water if needed.
8. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and then add it to the large pot or pan with the sautéed veggies, and pour the creamy pesto sauce on top. Alternatively, you can mix the pesto into the pot with the pasta, and serve the veggies on top while plating.
9. Serve with lemon zest and enjoy immediately, adding a pinch of salt to season if needed!

Notes

*For a nut-free version of the homemade pesto, substitute 1/4 cup sunflower seeds and an extra 1/2 cup of beans for cashews in the sauce.

*For an oil-free version, substitute water or veggie broth for olive oil to sauté the onions, garlic and remaining veggies.

*Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to soak cashews in boiling water before blending. I find the best blender for cashews is a bullet blender!