Guys, we did it! The end of dreary march is in sight, & we’ve made it through one whole month of plant-based recipes! It’s been creamy & dreamy, totally craveable, & even slightly unexpected. & I couldn’t have loved it more.
I’ve truly been so obsessed with how well every one of the plant-based march recipes have turned out (I mean, even Chris has loved them, ha!). & You guys have been so on board with trying out vegetarian & vegan cooking for your own families. It’s been so fun to watch & be a part of!
We’re wrapping up plant-based march today with what actually ended up being my favorite recipe of the entire month…lemony basil creamy vegan pasta with broccoli & sun-dried tomatoes.
Lemony basil creamy vegan pasta with broccoli & sun-dried tomatoes
oh my gosh.
oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
i am FLIPPING OUT over this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta. it’s pretty much perfect, in so many ways:
- totally creamy, but totally vegan (say whaaat?!)
- completely healthy (it’s basically a skillet full of veggies!)
- full of springtime vibes (comforting, but so super fresh)
- so freakin’ easy to throw together
- 100% weeknight friendly (made start-to-finish in less than 25 minutes!)
i wasn’t planning on sharing a pasta recipe in the plant-based march line-up…until this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta kinda just happened one night. & let me tell you: it’s the best coincidence my kitchen in a long time. too good not to share!
the backstory: i randomly got the most intense cravings for one of my favorite pasta dishes at the italian restaurant where i used to work. this pasta dish is my idea of the perfect springtime pasta, made with onions, sun-dried tomatoes, & tons of broccoli. the best part, though, is it’s all tossed in the most insanely velvety pesto cream sauce.
equal parts comforting & fresh…& it’s seriously to.die.for.
the only problem? when the craving struck i had no pesto & no heavy cream on hand, & it was one of those nights when i’d do pretty much anything not to have to leave the house. (ahem, the bachelor was going to be on in like 30 minutes. priorities!?)
turning to my fridge & pantry, i grabbed some ingredients i thought might work to satisfy my craving:
- some broccoli florets to beef up the pasta.
- a few handfuls of leftover arugula to add an addictively peppery bite.
- sun-dried tomatoes for extra richness.
- & some basil & cashews to (*fingers crossed*) make an easy basil cream sauce without using any dairy.
what happened next was nothing short of magical.
everything came together so effortlessly & quickly that the longest part of making this vegan pasta dinner was waiting for the pasta to boil! the creamy vegan pasta sauce worked perfectly. (…like, so perfectly i may never make a cream sauce with dairy ever again, haha!) & the flavors hit all of the notes i wanted them to: bright & fresh, but still super cozy & comforting.
& the best part?
totally vegan, but still totally creamy. totally healthy, but still totally satisfying. & totally weeknight-friendly.
(& the second best part? i plated up my dinner & plopped onto the sofa right in time to catch the bachelor. boom shakalaka.)
easy vegan creamy pasta sauce (…made with cashews!)
if you’ve been reading pwwb for awhile, you know i can’t resist a good creamy cashew situation (exhibit a: smoky chipotle cashew queso. exhibit b: creamy chipotle lime cashew crema.).
i was pretty hopeful that i could also use cashews to make a creamy vegan pasta sauce, & it totally works! the lemony basil creamy vegan pasta sauce kind of stole the show in this pasta recipe! it’s seriously good, & you can throw it together in less than 5 minutes.
to make this creamy vegan pasta sauce, you need:
- cashews
- garlic
- lemon
- fresh basil
- water
- & a pinch kosher salt
simply add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender & let it blend for a good 1-2 minutes until the mixture is perfectly thick & creamy. voila! creamy vegan pasta sauce, easy as can be.
on a side note: i usually recommend a food processor for tasks like this, but i really prefer using a blender for cashew sauces. the blade in a food processor isn’t really suited for breaking down cashews into the creamy, dreamy texture we’re looking for here – you’ll inevitably end up with some chunky bits of cashew. no bueno. promise, a good high-speed blender will be your bff for making creamy vegan pasta sauce. this is the blender i have & love.
an easy vegan pasta recipe perfect for weeknight cooking!
my absolute favorite, favorite, favorite thing about this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta recipe is how easy it is to throw together, especially on a weeknight. the whole dish comes together in less than 25 minutes – truly, the longest part of this recipe is waiting for the water to boil!
to make this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta any night of the week, you’ll need to:
- boil your pasta & broccoli.
- quickly chop & sauté some veggies.
- make the lemony basil creamy pasta sauce.
- toss it all together!
if you’re the kind of person who likes meal prepping, you can totally chop up your veggies (the broccoli, onion, & bell pepper) & make the lemony basil creamy vegan pasta sauce in advance. store everything separately in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. at dinnertime all you have to do is boil the pasta & toss it all together – it couldn’t be easier!
My meat-loving husband’s honest review of this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta recipe
my unexpectedly favorite part of creating all the recipes for plant-based march is hearing what my husband chris has to say about them. he’s a total meat-lover, so i know i’m on to something when i can create a vegetarian or vegan recipe that he really enjoys.
since plant-based eating may be a new venture for some of your families, i thought it would be really fun to ask chris to write down his honest thoughts about this month’s recipes.
for full transparency, i gave him a really hard time about not being obsessed with this recipe, only because i’m so in love with it! it honestly was my favorite recipe of the month!
here’s what he had to say about this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta:
jess is mad at me because she doesn’t think i like this recipe as much as i should.
it’s literally in my top 5 recipes she’s ever developed!
it’s an incredibly flavorful and filling pasta dish that doesn’t weigh you down but still doesn’t leave you missing protein.
TOP 5!! she’s created so much delicious food in the last 2+ years and this is in the TOP 5 of everything!!!
…i mean, i guess that’s not bad though, huh?!
if you love this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta recipe, here are a few other easy vegan recipes you have to try!
- roasted sweet potato + roasted cauliflower tacos with chipotle lime cashew crema {vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan}
- easy roasted veggie vegan taco salad {vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan}
- grilled veggie burrito bowls with green rice {vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan}
- grilled vegetable primavera bowls {vegetarian, easily dairy-free, easily vegan}
- smoky chipotle cashew queso {vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan}
- all pwwb healthy-ish recipes
be sure to follow along with me on instagram, facebook, & pinterest for more easy, modern recipes & fun!
thank you so much for reading & supporting plays well with butter. this post includes affiliate links for products i truly love & use on the reg in my own home. all opinions are always my own! should you make a purchase using one of these links, pwwb with earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps me continue to bring you great original content.
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lemony basil creamy vegan pasta with broccoli & sundried tomatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: pasta, vegan recipes
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian, vegan
Description
Creamy vegan pasta made in 25 minutes or less!!! Perfectly al dente vegan pasta tossed with sautéed bell pepper, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, & an easy homemade lemony basil creamy vegan pasta sauce made from cashews. The easiest healthy pasta recipe – totally dairy-free, vegan & filled with veggies!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat pasta (see Recipe Notes)
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (see Recipe Notes)
- 4 ounces arugula (a few handfuls)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
lemon basil cashew cream sauce:
- 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. Add in the pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions. About 2 minutes before the pasta is al dente, add the broccoli florets to the pot to cook with the pasta as the pasta finishes cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Make the lemon basil cashew cream sauce: Add all listed ingredients to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Cook the veggies: Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the onion and bell pepper. Season with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften slightly, 3-4 minutes. Once softened, add the sun-dried tomatoes and arugula to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sun-dried tomatoes soften and the arugula wilts slightly, 1-2 minutes.
- Finish the creamy vegan pasta: Once the veggies are ready, add the drained pasta & broccoli to the skillet. Pour the lemon basil cashew cream sauce over top. Toss to combine, adding a little of the reserved starchy pasta water as you go to reach your desired consistency. Taste and season additionally with salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pasta: Obviously, to make this pasta vegan, use your favorite vegan pasta. I love DeLallo’s whole wheat pastas – they’re totally vegan-friendly. While I prefer a textured short noodle for this lemony basil creamy vegan pasta recipe (it clings to the sauce really nicely – pictured here is rigatoni), you can use whatever shape you like best.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I find 3 ounce bags of sliced sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joe’s & they work really well for this recipe. You’ll want to make sure to use dried sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe, not the kind that comes packed in oil, to ensure your creamy vegan pasta doesn’t get super oily.
Keywords: creamy vegan pasta, creamy vegan pasta sauce
Love it! Highly recommend!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed, Kate!
i am a sucker for a good cashew sauce and oh BOY did this check the boxes! such a good combo of veggies too. i have never used sun-dried tomatoes before–they were an excellent addition to this pasta. what a yummy recipe! 🙂
★★★★★
Yum! I made this for the March PWWB Recipe Challenge, and it will forever be a staple dinner in our home! Love the cream sauce – it is a nice switch up from a regular Alfredo or red sauce, and is so creamy! The broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes go perfectly together flavor-wise. Love this dish!
★★★★★
Thanks Shelley, we are so glad you enjoyed! We love this recipe too, it is such a good one to have in your weeknight recipe arsenal!
This recipe was absolutely delicious!! So so SO good. Will absolutely be making this again!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Morgan! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
This recipe was a “meant to be find” – a later afternoon discovery on a day with no meal plan and a craving for something delicious. It was so good and easy! My first experience with cashew sauce and it was really good. The lemon adds a nice brightness too. Will definitely be making this again!
★★★★
We are so glad you enjoyed!! Thank you for sharing & entering our March Recipe Challenge – definitely a favorite of the PWWB team too & yours looked delicious!
YUM!
★★★★★
The recipe is simple to make. It will make it again and again. Thank you
Hi Kelly! Thanks for sharing, we couldn’t agree more – it is definitely a repeat worthy recipe!
do the cashews need to be soaked before adding to the processor??
Hi Steve – If you’re using a high-speed blender, soaking the cashews isn’t necessary. If not, you’ll want to give them at least a 20 minute soak in boiling-hot water so they break down more easily. Drain them & pat them dry before prepping the sauce according to recipe directions. – Jess
This was so so delicious! I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I’m back to make it again! <3
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed, Karen! & that it has become a repeat meal – thank you for sharing!
Very tasty and easy to make! 😊 I added some vegan italian sausages and that really made it come together!
★★★★★
LOVE that addition, Kalsee! We are SO glad you loved this pasta!
This is the first time I’ve ever commented on a recipe as I tend to be more of an observer than a participant. However, this recipe is too good to stay silent. I’m a lover of cheese and anything creamy so sticking with a vegan diet has been one of sacrifice until now. This recipe is a game changer for my husband and me. There’s no way I would have believed it was dairy free had I not prepared it myself. Fantastic dish!
★★★★★
Dana! Thank you for taking the time to comment & review, it means SO much & we are so glad you & your husband enjoyed! We agree the cashew sauce is magic! ✨
I used this on boiled new potatoes and think I like it even better than on pasta. It really made for a delicious lunch.
★★★★★
Sounds amazing, Beryl! So glad you enjoyed! xx
This is an excellent vegan pasta recipe! I used chickpea pasta and I actually had pesto, so I made the sauce without basil and added a dollop of pesto- delicious! My fresh basil always goes bad so quickly so I don’t love buying it from the grocery, so that was a great sub. Also added some red pepper flakes to the sauce. I will definitely make this again soon! Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Hey Morgan! We are so glad that you enjoyed this pasta & were able to use what you had on hand – it sounds like it turned out delicious! Thanks so much for sharing!
I loved this recipe. However I could not give it 5 stars because I don’t know how it would of tasted had I made it exactly to the recipe. I had no sun-dried tomatoS or arugula so I substituted with sun-dried tomato paste and I used kale instead of arugula. My pasta was gluten free. However I will make it again. You would swear it was made with cream. Very good regardless. Yummy 😋
★★★★
So glad you enjoyed, Dawn. That’s exactly what I would have done with those ingredients on hand, too. Hope you try again! xx
Absolutely amazing!
★★★★★
Thank you, Kristin!! We totally agree! 🙌 💜
This is the best pasta I’ve ever had and I’m not even vegan. The sauce and ingredients are perfect!
★★★★★
Hey Jose! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts – we are SO glad you enjoyed!!
Delicious! Will definitely make again. Thank you!!
★★★★★
So so glad to hear that you enjoyed, Erica!
YUM! This was such a delicious dinner for us tonight. I was slightly skeptical about the sundried tomatoes and arugula because those aren’t my favorite things, but the combination of all of these flavors was superb. Will be making this often. Thank you!
★★★★★
Amber, thanks so much for making & we are so glad to hear that this recipe will be added to your weeknight rotation!!
Very very tasty recipe! My husband -who is not vegan- couldn’t say enough good about it. I love the sauce and the way it compliments the sundried tomatoes. I did make one change, substituted spinach for the arugula. I will definitely make this one again!
★★★★★
Hi Pamela! The sauce definitely makes the dish! So glad you enjoyed!
Delicious
★★★★★
Great recipe, I eyeballed everything and it turned out great, added a lil pasta water to the sauce. Thanks so much !! :):)
Lindsey, we are SO glad you enjoyed! It is definitely a favorite!! Adding a little pasta water is always a good idea to help create one cohesive dish! 🙂
Hi! Nice to meet a fellow Twin Cities food blogger…I’m in Stillwater! I love that you’re including vegan recipes on your site and this recipe looks fabulous. I can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
Hi Maggie! It’s so nice to meet another TC blogger – thanks for checking out PWWB & we hope you’ll try some recipes soon! 😁
I am making this recipe as I type this and the sauce is not creamy, more watery!
Help!
Hi Dana! Most of the time, cashew based sauces will naturally thicken as they sit for a bit. However, if you’d like you can always add more cashews to reach a desired texture or consistency. 🙂
This was amazing! The only change I made was out of necessity- I had raw cashews, so soaked them and then blended. It was a hit. Thank you!
★★★★★
Martie, so happy to hear that you enjoyed! =)
This recipe was SO good, but I am living alone and cooking for 1. I will probably eat 1 or two more times, but can the sauce be frozen for later use if I want it in a few weeks?
★★★★★
Hi Karyna, we’ve never tested freezing & reheating leftovers for this recipe but know that other readers have been able to do so! The texture of the sauce may change a bit after being frozen & could require you to wake it up a bit with some fresh additional sauce. If you do give it try, please let us know what ends up working best for you!
Delicious recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it, Erika!! xx
Thanks for sharing, so delicious! I subbed in gluten-free rice pasta, which worked great. I accidentally bought the wrong sun-dried tomatoes (with oil, oops) but I patted them down and the finished product didn’t turn out too noticeably oily. Excited to check out the other recipes on this site 🙂
★★★★★
This was pretty good. It was a little bland by the book, so I added another handful of basil to the sauce, another lemon’s worth of juice, about 1.5 Tbs of nutritional yeast, and chili flakes. Much better, and would definitely make it again.
★★★★
Hey Rachel! So glad you were able to adjust to suit your tastes – I always encourage readers to do just that!
Thanks for your comment…I also added chili pepper flakes, more lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. I found the raw garlic to be overpowering, however…I would probably saute the garlic with the veggies if I made this again.
★★★★
Absolutely amazing!
★★★★★
Awesome – I’m so glad you enjoyed!!! Thanks for leaving a comment!
My family and I, recently started eating like vegans lol, because we wanna get healthy (we were big meat eaters) and I must say, this was a HUGE hit around the dinner table last night! Thanks for such a yummy, tasty, vegan dish 😊
★★★★★
I am SO glad you & your family enjoyed this pasta!!! It’s one of my favorites too. These roasted veggie tacos are really popular here on PWWB – highly recommend adding it to your list of vegan recipes to try out! =)
My 2 teenage veggies liked this! And so did the adults. Thank you! Does this freeze well?
★★★★★
I’m so glad the whole family loved the pasta, Christie! I don’t have a ton of experience freezing this recipe; sometimes cashew sauces break in the freezer & since everything is already tossed together, I’m thinking it might not be the best candidate for freezing. If you do, I’d suggest reheating it on the stovetop, using a little water or your favorite plant-based milk (or milk/cream if dairy isn’t a concern to you) to help coax the sauce back together nicely. Let me know if you end up trying!
Do I really need to make this sauce a week in advance?
★★★★
Nope! If you’d like to meal prep, the sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week, but you can absolutely use it right away.
Yum Yum! My husband LOVED it and so did I!! The aroma is so inviting that who can wait for dinner? (I prepared it early in the day) I’m so proud when I can cook him something delicious that is vegan or vegetarian. This recipe is a keeper!! Please continue to post vegan and vegetarian recipes, thank you much!!
★★★★★
YES!!! I’m so glad that both you and your husband loved this pasta!!! Totally makes my day. Plenty more plant-based goodness coming for you in January, so do stay tuned!
This is Tasty AF. The sauce is amazing. WE added chicken to bulk it up for the family. I had it with no meat thought and never missed it.
★★★★★
I made this tonight with a few tweaks based on what was available to me and holy moly, that sauce is TASTY AF. (For anyone else who doesn’t have a high speed blender: subbing about 120g/half a cup of prepared cashew butter worked great for me.) Thanks so much for sharing, this is being added to my regular rotation! x
★★★★★
ah, what a great tip – thank you so much for sharing! i’m SO glad you loved it – it’s one of my faves too. enjoy! xx
I’m usually not into pesto but THIS sauce right here is the best Pesto I ever tried!!!!
My boyfriend also loved it even tho it was vegan 😂😂Next time, I’m making more Sauce 😅Greetings from Germany 😇
★★★★
Hahaha, I’m so glad you & your boyfriend both loved this one! The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week if you want to make a big batch next time =) xx
Do you soak the cashews before hand? Or just out them in hard?
hey Marina! I don’t soak my cashews; I’ve found that as long as I use a high-speed blender (Vitamix, Nutribullet, etc.), it’s not necessary. If you want to play it safe, soak them overnight, or soak in boiling hot water for 10-15 minutes before blending.
Is the broccoli cooked before putting in pan? It doesn’t say cooked but I assume it would need to be. Can you confirm?
hey kari! you quickly cook up the broccoli in the pasta water as the pasta finishes cooking – one of my favorite weeknight pasta hacks! Check Step 1 of the Recipe Directions for the full run down!
I’ve got to make this creamy green cashew sauce!
you will LOVE it, jo! it’s so good!
So good! Thanks for sharing nom nom it was so creamy and amazing
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved it as much as we do, Belinda! Thanks for sharing! xx