Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe

Organic basil pesto sauce recipe vegan. Healthy pasta sauces, low acidity.

Pesto is the best pasta sauce

and you can’t tell me otherwise.

While I respect tomato-based pasta sauces and have definitely loved many of them, something about the abundance of fresh basil complemented perfectly with some supporting characters always makes me happy.

Who are the supporting characters, you ask?
- extra virgin olive oil
- cashews
- homemade almond milk
- nutritional yeast
- garlic
- lemon juice
- salt & pepper

This recipe is vegan and mostly organic (a personal choice)! Unlike typical pesto, which is consumed in smaller amounts and is usually very oily, this is a pesto sauce, which can be smothered over multiple servings of pasta.

orecchiette pasta with vegan creamy fresh basil pasta sauce

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups almond milk (make it yourself!)

  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh basil, mostly leaves but don’t be afraid to keep some stems in there

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)

  • 4 peeled cloves of garlic

  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

  • 1/4 cup raw soaked (8+ hours) cashews

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)

  • 3 1/2 teaspoons corn starch

How-to:

Make sure you have cashews (and, optionally, almonds) soaking at least 8 hours before starting. If you’re really pressed for time, you can boil them separately for 15-25 minutes. If you don’t have almond milk, your step 1 is to make almond milk (or your favorite nondairy milk).

  1. Get going on making your favorite pasta. While your pasta is boiling, get out your blender, gather your basil, peel your garlic, and gather the rest of the ingredients.

  2. Combine all ingredients into a high powered blender and blend on medium high for around 45 seconds, or until the mixture is universally green but you can still see some small amounts of basil leaves. Olive oil is not necessary (but welcomed nonetheless) because we have almond milk as the lubricant (not sure if that’s the right word to use here) in the blender.

  3. Pour mixture into a saucepan on your stovetop and bring to a boil, stirring/whisking frequently. Reduce to a simmer and low heat, stirring often, for around 3 minutes or until desired thickness has been reached.

  4. Once you have drained pasta, return it to its pot and pour this pesto sauce all over. Incorporate well and enjoy!

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