Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta
Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta is delicious and refreshing dinner recipe. This pasta with basil recipe is vegan and full of fresh vibrant flavors.
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 149kcal
Cost: $5
Ingredients
- 12 ounces pasta I used gluten free spaghetti
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt and ground black pepper
To Make Lemon Basil Pasta Sauce:
- 1 cup roasted cashews
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder adjust per taste
Instructions
Boil the Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add some salt the water. Add in the pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Sauté the veggies
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add broccoli florets. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the color wilts and florets are tender. ( about 5-7 minutes) Turn off the heat.
Make the creamy lemon basil sauce
- Add all the sauce ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. You can store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week
Finish Creamy Lemon Basil Pasta
- Once the broccoli is ready, add the drained pasta and tomatoes to the skillet. Pour the lemon basil cashew cream sauce over top. Using a tongs, toss to combine everything. Add a little bit of the reserved starchy pasta water so everything coats well together.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Sprinkle some fresh chopped basil, cracked pepper or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, as desired. Serve and enjoy! Bon appetit !!
Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker Instructions :
- Start Instantpot on SAUTE mode and add oil in the main steel insert. Wait for couple minutes so oil warms up. Add broccoli florets. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the color wilts and florets are tender. ( about 3-5 minutes) . Cancel SAUTE. Remove the broccoli and set aside.
- Pour the spaghetti in the steel insert. Add a teaspoon of oil and salt. Pour just enough water to cover the pasta. DO NOT SUBMERGE. Close the lid.
- Place the knob in SEALING position. Press MANUAL ( or PRESURE COOK) Choose 4 minutes. After IP does cooking, wait on keep warm timer for 4 minutes and then release the leftover pressure by turning the valve to VENTING. Drain excess liquid (if any) in the sink and your cooked pasta is ready.
- Follow steps 3, 4 and 5 as above. Bon Appetit!!
Notes
You can serve this pasta warm or cold. It can be prepared several hours in advance. Leftovers taste AWESOME! It makes a delightful lunch option so you can make a big batch and save for later too. My kids love this meal in their school lunchbox.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 240mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g