Are you bored of the same pasta? Traditional pesto pasta includes pine nuts and fresh parmesan cheese which can be very expensive at the store. Switch up your pesto game with some of these great alternatives. These include pecans or hazelnuts and vegan nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as nutty, cheesy or creamy and is full of vitamin B12 and acts as a complete protein and did I mention it is dairy-free!
Ingredients
- 3 cups of shell pasta or pappardelle noodles
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves (remove stems)
- 1 ½ cups of chopped pecans or hazelnuts
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ shredded Parmesan cheese (dairy free option: 2 TBSP of nutritional yeast)
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp of sea salt
- 1 pinch of black ground pepper
Directions
- Boil 3 cups of shell pasta in a large pot with salted water. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until al-dente. Drain and set aside.
- Blend the basil, pecans, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a food processor until the mixture becomes a slightly chunky paste. Serve over warm pasta. Enjoy!
Tip: For a creamier texture, add in ¼ cup of the pasta water. This starchy water helps to thicken the sauce and bind it to the pasta.
