Creamy pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes and undetectable spinach!? Hello, summer! This vibrant, satisfying, vegan, and (optionally) gluten-free pasta dish is SO delicious, and surprisingly quick & easy to make. We love it for nights when we’re craving comforting pasta but don’t want to miss out on a serving (or two) of veggies!
It’s a filling meal on its own, but it also pairs well with Crispy Baked Tofu or Easy Grilled Chicken. Just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes required. Let us show you how it’s done!
Origin of Pesto
Pesto is a sauce that is believed to have originated in the Liguria region of northwestern Italy. It’s thought to have evolved from a 13th-century garlic-based sauce called aggiadda or from the tradition of using aromatic herbs in the Middle Ages.
The first written recipe for pesto was from Giovanni Battista Ratto in his 19th-century work The Genoese cuisine. This recipe was a mix of garlic, basil, and cheese (source).
For this pasta, we’ve infused the flavors of pesto into a creamy, plant-based sauce.
How to Make Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta
This 30-minute recipe starts with cooking pasta (choose your favorite type!) and (optionally) roasting cherry tomatoes for a pop of color and sweetness.
A creamy, cashew-based sauce comes together in minutes while the pasta and tomatoes are cooking.
Simply blend up raw cashews with vegan pesto essentials including basil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. We add spinach for a pop of color and nutrition, plus water to help it blend together.
Then pour the vibrant green sauce over the cooked pasta, (optionally) top with the roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and vegan parmesan cheese, and dig in!
We hope you LOVE this pesto pasta! It’s:
Creamy
Satisfying
Vibrant
Quick & easy
& SO delicious!
It’s an easy weeknight meal on its own or paired with Crispy Baked Tofu or Easy Grilled Chicken. It would also pair nicely with salads, including our Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad, Chickpea Caesar Salad, or Simple Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.
More Plant-Based Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Vegan Pink Pasta (30 Minutes!)
- Roasted Broccoli Pasta with Hemp Pesto (V/GF)
- Creamy Vegan White Pasta with Summer Vegetables
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (Vegan + GF)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta (30 Minutes!)
Ingredients
ROASTED TOMATOES optional
- 2-3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 healthy pinch sea salt
PASTA
- Water (for boiling)
- Salt (for seasoning water)
- 12 oz. dry pasta (for gluten-free, we like Jovial or Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Quinoa Fusilli // use a chickpea or other legume-based pasta for more protein)
CREAMY PESTO SAUCE
- 2/3 cup raw cashews*
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil, large stems removed
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled
- 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese (or store-bought)
- Freshly chopped basil
Instructions
- ROASTED TOMATOES (optional, but recommended for a pop of color and sweetness): Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange tomatoes cut side down, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are tender and the skins have shriveled slightly.
- PASTA: Add 3 quarts (~3 liters) of water and 1 Tbsp salt to a large pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta, stir, and set a timer according to your pasta package instructions.
- PESTO SAUCE: Meanwhile, to a high-speed blender, add cashews, water, basil, spinach, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend on high until smooth and no bits of cashew remain — about 1 minute. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more lemon juice for brightness, cashews for richness, nutritional yeast for savory notes, or salt to taste.
- Test pasta for doneness. When it’s ready, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water until it’s warm but no longer steaming. Return the pasta to the pot (off the heat) and add in the basil pesto sauce. Stir to coat, but avoid heating as the sauce will lose its bright green color.
- Divide between serving bowls and garnish with roasted tomatoes, vegan parmesan cheese, and freshly chopped basil (all optional).
- Leftovers keep stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or a saucepan, adding a little water as needed to rehydrate.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with Trader Joe’s Brown Rice & Quinoa Fusilli and 1/4 tsp salt in the pasta water (since the full tablespoon isn’t absorbed into the pasta), and without optional ingredients.
*Loosely adapted from our Creamy Vegan Pink Pasta and Easy Vegan Pesto.
Jules says
I made this exactly as written, and it was a big hit with the whole family! I made the tomatoes but just added them on top because my youngest is in an anti-tomato phase.
I cooked up some Beyond Italian sausage to round the meal out.
Easy, quick, delicious, and nourishing!
We’re so glad it was a hit with the whole family, Jules! Thank you for sharing! xo
Jane says
I’ve made this a couple of times now and love it!! It’s still delicious without tomatoes but the tomatoes really make it great for me!
We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying this recipe, Jane. Thank you for sharing! xo
Brittany says
Made this tonight and it turned out great! We used banza pasta, and added vegan chicken.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing, Brittany! xo
Dora says
This is one of my favorite recipes of yours (your tofu lasagna is my absolute favorite). I love the tang and often add extra lemon. I almost always forget to buy spinach and have had to sub kale and arugula in for the spinach. Both turned out excellent, but you could taste the arugula (so don’t do that if you don’t like arugula). I double the sauce recipe for one box of pasta because we like it extra saucy. This is my lunch this week and I am stoked. (I top it with chickpeas and Morningstar farms grilled chick’n strips *chefs kiss*.) This recipe (double the sauce) feeds me and my husband for four days (lunch serving). You can’t get any more economical than that.
Love it! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Dora. So glad you both enjoy this recipe!
Cassidy JENKINS says
We added a quarter cup of vegan parm, oil, and Italian seasoning to our pesto and it was pretty good. Tomatoes added a nice sweetness!
Thanks so much for sharing, Cassidy!
Ash says
Really good and really creamy. I used a bit less water to give it more thickness and I used grape tomatoes and it tasted great!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Ash! xo
Lauralee says
This was a tasty creamy pesto and will definitely be on repeat. I think next time we will add red pepper flakes for spice and not rinse the noodles, for a warmer dish overall. Thank you for all of your solid recipes. I know I can count on you for a successful and delicious dinner.
xoxo!
Danielle says
This is going to be my new go-to meal for busy nights! So simple yet flavorful! I added sautéed mushrooms for a little extra protein + veg. Thank you for this recipe!!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Danielle. We’re so glad you enjoyed!
Cara says
Absolutely delicious! I made the suggested crispy baked tofu as a topping (which was also incredible) and strongly recommend to add more protein / make more filling. The roasted cherry tomatoes are a must *AND I’d like to recommend adding toasted pine nuts when stirring it all together. Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup? Thanks for a marvelous recipe! Your recipes have been life-changing for me!
Aw, this is SO great to hear, Cara! And love your idea to add pine nuts too! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Ashleigh Hamilton says
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I made it for my boyfriend and myself last night, paired it with some balsamic chicken. It popped off. I will definitely be making it again soon!
Yum, that combo sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing, Ashleigh! xo
Anneke says
This pasta was amazing! I replaced the spinach with peas to give a little different flavor. I do not have a high speed blender so I soaked the cashews but the sauce wasn’t 100% smooth. Will definitely make again though!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anneke! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
VICKY says
best pesto pasta ever! loved the brightness! xoxo
Whoop! Thank you for sharing, Vicky! xoxo
Mary says
Would this be good at room temp, or best warm? Im attending a pot luck lunch.
It’s best served warm!
Monisa says
Can the pesto sauce be frozen and defrosted later? I’m one person so would love to be able to freeze it in batches of one or two servings.
That should work! Hope you love it, Monisa!
Marie says
Hello, I live in an area where it is hard to get American Spinach. Could I use frozen spinach for this recipe and if I cannot find frozen spinach what other type of greens can I use as a substitute? Thanks
Hi Marie, we think the flavor of frozen spinach would be too strong, but a small amount might work! Spinach has a more mild flavor than other greens, but it’s possible a lesser amount of kale or chard could also work. Hope that helps!
Kim says
Made this tonight and it was a huge hit! Followed the recipe exactly as written except added a little extra pasta to use up the whole box. My husband couldn’t even tell spinach was in the sauce when he tried to guess the ingredients.
Amazing!! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Kim. Thank you for sharing! xo
Colleen says
Mine was a little thin because I used too much lemon, but very tasty recipe. Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Colleen! Adding more cashews will help remedy that. It will also thicken a bit in the refrigerator so the leftovers should be even better =)
Caitlin says
This was delicious! Added a small shallot since it was on its last day and it added this delicious sweetness to the sauce that was superb! Highly suggest trying but this recipe was so easy and delish! Thanks for another great one <3
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Caitlin! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Miriam Davis says
Hi Dana, Nutritional Yeast bothers my stomach something awful :( Can I substitute it for something else? Love your recipes!!
Thanks,
Miriam
Hi Miriam, we tested without it and it’s still tasty, just not quite as flavorful! You could leave it out or try subbing a little chickpea or white miso paste. Hope that helps!
ricki says
Can you use cashew butter in place of raw cashews? if so, how would you adjust the recipe?
Hi Ricki, we haven’t tested that, but it could work! Perhaps try 1/4 cup? Let us know how it goes!