Dinner

Pasta with Basil Cashew Cream

Name: Pasta with Basil Cashew Cream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pasta
Ingredients: 8 ounces fusilli or pasta of choice (see Recipe Notes); 1 small head broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets (approx. 8 ounces or 3 cups); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 medium red bell pepper, diced; ⅓ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (see Recipe Notes); 4 ounces baby arugula; kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste; 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews; 3 cloves garlic; ½ lemon, juiced (approx. 2-3 tablespoons); 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves; 1 cup water; ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Pasta

4 servings

servings

10 minutes

active time

25 minutes

total time

Start Cooking

Ingredients

8 ounces fusilli or pasta of choice (see Recipe Notes)

1 small head broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets (approx. 8 ounces or 3 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

⅓ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (see Recipe Notes)

4 ounces baby arugula

kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

3 cloves garlic

½ lemon, juiced (approx. 2-3 tablespoons)

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1 cup water

½ teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Boil the pasta and blanch the broccoli

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously season the water with salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, to al dente according to package directions. About 2 minutes before the pasta is al dente, add the broccoli florets to the pot, blanching them as the pasta finishes cooking. Once the pasta reaches al dente, carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot, reserving about 1 cup of starchy pasta water, & set aside. Drain the pasta and broccoli – but do not rinse – and set aside. (Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)

Prepare the lemon basil cashew cream sauce

Meanwhile, prepare the vegan basil cream sauce. Add all listed ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender canister as needed. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Soften the vegetables

Meanwhile, soften the remaining vegetables. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot & shimmering, stir in the onion and bell pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper if desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften slightly, 3-4 minutes. Once softened, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook until softened slightly, 1-2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

Finish the creamy vegan pasta

Add the drained pasta, blanched broccoli, and arugula to the skillet with the softened vegetables. Pour the lemon basil cashew cream sauce over top. Toss to combine well, adding a little of the reserved starchy pasta water as you go to reach your desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving Size

Calories

564

Total Fat

25.7 g

Saturated Fat

4.5 g

Unsaturated Fat

Trans Fat

0 g

Cholesterol

0 mg

Sodium

217.3 mg

Total Carbohydrate

75.4 g

Dietary Fiber

12.1 g

Total Sugars

15.2 g

Protein

19.3 g