Description
A comforting and creamy vegan zucchini pasta dish bursting with summer flavors of lemon and basil, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ onion – finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 medium or 4 small zucchinis – roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water (heavily salted)
- ¾ cup plant milk
- ¼ cup cashew butter (or tahini if allergic)
- ½–1 cup basil – finely chopped
- Juice from ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 servings cooked pasta
- 1 can white beans (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by heating a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until they turn translucent and fragrant.
- Next, toss in the roughly chopped zucchini along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow this to cook for another 5 minutes until the zucchini starts to soften and brown lightly.
- Now it’s time for the flavor boost! Add the minced garlic and chopped basil to the pan, and cook for 3-5 more minutes until everything is beautifully aromatic and tender.
- Transfer the zucchini mixture to a blender. Add in the nutritional yeast, reserved pasta water, plant milk, cashew butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture is incredibly smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the sauce with your cooked pasta, mixing gently to coat every delightful strand. If you’re feeling a bit indulgent, toss in the optional white beans for added protein and texture.
- Serve warm, garnished with extra chopped basil and a sprinkle of lemon zest for that extra pop of zing!
Notes
Feel free to customize this dish with your favorite herbs and toppings. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 375mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 0mg