Name: Pasta with courgette pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 medium courgette (zucchini); 1 garlic clove; 1 Tbsp pine nuts; 1 handful basil leaves; 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast or grated vegan cheese or Parmesan; ½ lemon, juiced; 1 pinch chilli flakes (optional); Salt& pepper; 200g pasta of your choice

Pasta with courgette pesto

5 Jul 2022

by Wholeness

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Total Time

15 minutes

Background

This pasta with courgette pesto can be vegan or vegetarian, depending on what kind of cheese you use. I made it with vegan cheddar and used gluten-free penne.

Ingredients

1 medium courgette (zucchini)
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp pine nuts
1 handful basil leaves
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast or grated vegan cheese or Parmesan
½ lemon, juiced
1 pinch chilli flakes (optional)
Salt& pepper
200g pasta of your choice

Instructions

Cook the paste according to the packet instructions, drain and keep warm in the pan, under a lid.
Lightly toast the pine nuts and set aside.
Thinly slice the courgette and the garlic.
Heat a griddle pan or frying pan over medium-high heat, and brush it with a little oil.
Once hot, add the courgette slices and fry them for 3-5 minutes on both sides until lightly charred.
Put them on a plate, then fry the garlic for 30 seconds until light brown - don’t let them burn!
Put the courgette, garlic and pine nuts in a blender and pulse until you get a textured paste.
Add the cheese/nutritional yeast, basil leaves and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Blend the pesto to your desired consistency.
Mix the pesto with the pasta and serve with basil or mint leaves.