Vegan Pesto Pasta (Easy & Quick)

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This vegan pesto pasta recipe is flavorful, satisfying, quick, and also easy to make! In addition, it's plant based, gluten free, oil free, dairy free and made with vegan cashew pesto!

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This vegan pasta comes together quickly so it's perfect for lunches or weeknight dinners. You can also make the pesto ahead of time and then add it to pasta for a quick meal.

You can also really customize this dish by adding some vegetables like asparagus. If you love easy pasta dishes, you can also try my vegan lemon pasta, one pot pasta, vegan mac and cheese, no boil pasta bake, vegan baked ziti or mushroom pasta!

Before we jump into the recipe, let's talk about how you can customize it and learn some tips.

How to Make Vegan Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

Pasta

I use my favorite gluten-free pasta for this recipe but you can use any kind of pasta such as elbow, rotini, or spaghetti. You can also use regular pasta if you don't prefer to use gluten free.

Vegan Cashew Pesto

This vegan cashew pesto recipe is so quick and easy to make. It has raw cashews, fresh basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and mustard for a delicious flavor combination.

Red Pepper Flakes and Basil leaves

You can add more or less nutritional yeast so play around with it. If you don't care for the cheesy flavor, you can also omit it.

Vegan Parmesan Cheese (optional)

You can either use store-bought vegan parmesan cheese or you can make my homemade vegan parmesan cheese.

How to make it

First, start cooking the pasta according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, make the vegan cashew pesto according to the recipe and then add the pesto to the cooked pasta and mix well.

Top with red pepper flakes, fresh basil leaves and also vegan parmesan cheese.

Tips & Variations

If the pesto is too thick, you can add a little bit of water to thin it out.
You can also add vegetables such as asparagus.
Always adjust to taste and then add more salt if needed!

How to store it

I recommend storing the pesto separately and then adding it to the cooked pasta before serving. You can store the pesto in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use roasted cashews for the pesto?

I don't recommend it since it will change the taste but you can try.

The pesto is too thick, what can I do?

You can add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to thin it out until you reach the desired consistency

Can I add olive oil?

Yes, you can add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for the flavor and texture.

This homemade vegan pesto pasta recipe comes together so quickly and it is very easy and versatile. It is also:

Satisfying
Gluten free and dairy free
Perfect for weeknight dinners or lunches
Also so delicious!

More plant based recipes to try

So, did you make this? I’d love for you to leave a comment and rate the recipe. You can also share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest and tag me on Instagram using @avocadocentric or #avocadocentric! xo, Selin