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Vegan Diaries - Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Basil Pesto
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Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Basil Pesto (Vegan)

Creamy, vibrant, and loaded with flavour – this pumpkin pasta with basil pesto is wholesome plant-based comfort food, full of fresh veggies and healthy fats.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Australian, Vegan
Keyword creamy plant-based pasta recipe, creamy plant-based pumpkin pasta, creamy pumpkin pasta, creamy pumpkin pasta recipe, creamy vegan pasta, easy vegan dinner, easy vegan dinner recipe, easy vegan recipe, plant based pumpkin pasta, plant based pumpkin pasta recipe, plantbased pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pasta, vegan pumpkin pasta recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 893kcal
Cost $18

Ingredients

Pumpkin Sauce

  • 750 g pumpkin
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup soy milk
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder

Pesto

  • 1 bunch fresh basil
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup cashews
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/4 tsp salt plus extra to taste

Pasta & toppings

  • 500 g rigatoni or pasta of choice
  • plant-based parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200C. Pour boiling water over cashews and set aside to soak.
  • Peel and dice pumpkin into 3-4cm chunks. Coat pumpkin and garlic cloves (leave the skins on) with olive oil and vegetable stock. Transfer to a baking tray and roast for 40 mins until pumpkin is golden and soft.
  • Combine all pesto ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Some small remaining chunks are fine.
  • Once cool to touch, peel the garlic cloves. Combine the roast pumpkin, garlic, cashews, soy milk, lemon juice and nutritional yeastin a blender. Blitz until smooth. *Note - if using a closed blender with no opening (e.g. Nutribullet) be sure that the pumpkin is cool as hot blenders can explode.
  • Prepare pasta to packet instructions. Once pasta is cooked, drain and return to pot. Pour sauce over cooked pasta and stir through.
  • Serve pasta into bowls. Top with basil pesto, and plant-based parmesan cheese (optional).

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 893kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 1288mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 16197IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 6mg