Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta (30-Minute)

This creamy & bright vegan pesto pasta has bold and nuanced flavor from juicy roasted tomatoes, cheesy nutritional yeast, aromatic basil, and crunchy walnuts. It's ready in just 30 minutes for an easy and healthy weeknight meal!

When the weather turns warm, I want lighter and healthier meals that are fresh, delicious, and relatively quick to whip up, like caramelized shallot pasta or easy miso noodles. A bowl of vegan pesto pasta always hits the spot during the warm-weather months.

If you are like me, you love pesto. It's one of those magical sauces that can be added to so many dishes. It's bright, garlicky, cheesy, herby, and so incredibly full of flavor. And what's more, you can make a batch of pesto in a matter of minutes!

For this vegan pesto recipe, we use frozen peas for texture, nutrition, and creaminess. Nutritional yeast is added to give it a rich cheesy flavor, walnuts for nuttiness, and garlic for depth and savoriness (make a double batch and freeze it for later!). After tossing it with our noodles, roasted tomatoes are added for bright acidity and sweet juiciness.

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why This Recipe Works
• 💬 What is Vegan Pesto Made of?
• 🍅 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🔪 How To Make Vegan Pesto Pasta
• 🍽 What To Serve with Vegan Pesto Pasta
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🍝 More Vegan Noodle Recipes
• Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta (30-Minute)

⭐️ Why This Recipe Works

• Thick and creamy dairy-free pasta
• Rich, savory, and cheesy flavor
• Dairy-free/vegan pasta recipe that's healthy and packed with vitamins & minerals
• Quick and easy; ready in 30 minutes!
• Make-ahead and freeze options
• Great for meal-prep!

💬 What is Vegan Pesto Made of?

It's typically made using fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. Nutritional yeast is often used to replace the Parmesan cheese, and in this recipe, we add peas for brightness, texture, and creaminess. If you're new to eating vegan, be sure to check out my vegan grocery list for beginners!

🍅 Ingredient Notes

• Olive oil - Use a good-quality olive oil with a flavor that you enjoy, as we use ⅓ cup to make the pesto.
• Frozen peas - Using frozen peas is important because they still have a bit of firmness to them, and they are brighter in color compared to canned peas (frozen peas work magic in this wonton wrapper ravioli).
• Garlic cloves - I highly recommend using fresh garlic for optimal flavor.
• Nutritional yeast - Deactivated yeast that provides deep cheesy flavor and vitamin B-12. This replaces the Parmesan cheese found in traditional pesto.
• Walnuts - High in protein and healthy fats, they provide subtle nuttiness to our pasta.
• Red pepper flakes (optional) - Just a pinch is all you need to give it a slight kick.
• Rotini pasta - I like the texture of rotini pasta, but any short pasta shape will work well. The thick and creamy pesto sauce settles into all of the crevices, creating a luscious consistency.

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Use your favorite veggies: Replace the roasted tomatoes with roasted cauliflower, asparagus, or vegan roasted brussels sprouts, depending on the season.
• Make it spicy: If you like a splash of heat with your pasta dish, don't leave out the red pepper flakes at the end. You could even add a pinch of cayenne pepper for an extra kick!
• Top it with quick pickled red onions for a tangy crunch.
• Add fresh herbs: Finish your pasta with a handful of fresh basil, parsley, or a spoonful of fresh rosemary or thyme.
• Substitute any toasted nuts for the walnuts. Almonds and cashews would be delicious!
• Make gluten-free: Simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

🔪 How To Make Vegan Pesto Pasta

*Printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roast tomatoes: Place cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tomatoes are soft. Set aside.

Make pea pesto: Place peas, garlic, nutritional yeast, walnuts, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Mix until combined, stopping once to scrape down sides of bowl.

With the machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Transfer mixture into large sauté pan.

Make pasta: Cook fettuccine following instructions on box. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain fettuccine. Transfer noodles to sauté pan with pesto.

Bring it all together: Over low heat, toss noodles with pesto, and as much reserved pasta water as needed to create a creamy sauce. Add roasted tomatoes and toss. If using, add pinch of red pepper flakes. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

🍽 What To Serve with Vegan Pesto Pasta

Because it's already a hearty meal full of nutrients from peas, tomatoes, walnuts, and nutritional yeast, I often serve this dish with:

• A light side salad, like shaved fennel salad or apple gorgonzola salad.
• A refreshing beverage, like cucumber lemon ginger water or grapefruit vodka cocktail.
• Vegan dessert, like vegan chocolate avocado mousse or vegan peanut butter banana cookies.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Season your pasta water with plenty of salt.
• Make ahead: Make your pea pesto up to one day ahead of time. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to reheat.
• Storage: Leftovers can be stored (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• How to freeze: After completely cooled, transfer individual portions to freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight.
• Use short pasta. Because of the thick and creamy sauce, short pasta shapes work best because of all of their nooks and crannies.
• To reheat: Re-warm on the stovetop over low heat. Add a tablespoon or two of non-dairy milk or water to add moisture and boost the creaminess.
• Double up. Make a double batch of pesto and freeze half for later use. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🍝 More Vegan Noodle Recipes

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