Veggie Pesto Pasta

This delicious yet simple veggie pesto pasta is a great Italian-inspired meal to make in the spring or the summer. It is packed with healthy veggies, bursts with fresh and zesty flavors from the pesto and makes for a filling dish, too. You can make your own pesto sauce or use store-bought pesto for an easy weeknight meal. Plus, this recipe is 100% vegan and dairy-free.

When I think of a perfect summer or spring meal to enjoy in the sun, then this dish pops up into my mind: a big bowl of pasta bursting with roasted veggies and tossed in a creamy pesto sauce.

So simple and nothing fancy, just healthy plant-based ingredients that come together to make this recipe so refreshing, flavorful and nourishing.

If you like pesto as much as I do, then I'm sure this veggie pesto pasta recipe will be a hit. I have plenty of homemade pesto sauces to choose from to make this dish, like this vegan pesto butter bean sauce which is one of our favorites, but this time I used my favorite one, cashew pesto, which takes 5-min to whip up. 

And then, similarly to this popular vegan couscous salad, I roasted a bunch of summer veggies to toss in the pasta and added a can of chickpeas for bonus protein and fiber. It was amazing!

As for the vegetables, I chose some zucchini, pepper, corn, cherry tomatoes and broccoli, but the beauty of this dish is how versatile it is, you can swap for any veggies that you like!

Serve with a simple blueberry mint mojito mocktail and you will be in for a treat.

Hope you give it a try! ❤️

What's to love about this recipe

• Easy to make and done within 30 minutes!
• Versatile: add any veggies that you already have or like
• Perfect summer dish for BBQs, potlucks and picnics
• Great to meal prep ahead
• Healthy and packed with nutrient-dense veggies
• Makes for a balanced, satisfying and nourishing dish
• Vegan and dairy-free, plus can be made oil-free

What you will need

(complete ingredient list in the recipe card below)

• Pasta: you can use any noodles that you like, although I think short pasta works better. I used the radiatori noodles, but penne, fusilli, rotini, macaroni and rigatoni all work well. 
• Pesto: I used my cashew pesto sauce for this recipe. You can also use a mix of cashews and pine nuts to make the pesto, just like in this pesto rigatoni recipe. For a shortcut, then simply use store-bought pesto sauce. 
• Chickpeas: canned chickpeas are convenient and add more fiber and plant-based protein. You can use other types of white beans, such as cannellini or navy beans.
• Vegetables: I roasted some broccoli, zucchini (or yellow squash), bell pepper and cherry tomato for a nice summery mix of veggies. See below for more ideas!
• Corn: when corn is in season, then use fresh! Otherwise, frozen corn works well too. I think canned corn is less flavorful, although would also work in a pinch.

How to make veggie pesto pasta

(full recipe in the recipe card below)

Get ready

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Also, preheat the oven to 425º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

If using fresh corn, then steam/grill/boil the cobs and remove the kernels using a sharp knife. If using frozen corn, then thaw using the microwave. You can also add the frozen kernels to the pot of boiling pasta 2 minutes before the noodles are done so they can thaw.

Make the pesto sauce

If using homemade pesto sauce, then start with making it. I made a cashew pesto sauce, although any pesto will work, homemade or store-bought. It is very easy to make your own and should only take 5-10 minutes, all you have to do is combine the pesto ingredients using a food processor.

Cook the pasta

Cook the pasta al dente in plenty of boiling water. 

Just before draining the noodles, make sure to reserve about 1 cup of pasta water aside for finishing up the sauce when combining the ingredients.

Roast the veggies

Transfer the chopped broccoli, zucchini and pepper to the prepared sheet pan, spray a little oil (optional) and sprinkle some salt, then bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Add the cherry tomatoes, toss the veggies and then bake for 10-15 more minutes or until done to your liking.

Assemble and serve

Return the cooked pasta back to the pot you use to cook it, add the roasted veggies, pesto sauce, chickpeas and corn. Add some of the pasta cooking water (start with ¼ cup) and then stir to combine. 

Try to be gentle not to break the delicate roasted veggies and add more salt, lemon juice and water as needed.

Enjoy!

Helpful tips

• Don't forget to keep some pasta cooking water aside just before draining the noodles. The starchy pasta water helps make the sauce creamy and the pesto sticks to the noodles.
• Be aware of the timing when roasting the veggies and adjust the cooking time according to what veggies you are using: start with the tougher ones and finish with the more delicate or juicy veggies. I roasted the broccoli, zucchini and peppers together, and added the tomatoes later on since they roast much faster.

Serving suggestions

Serve the creamy pesto pasta with more fresh basil leaves, if you have some, and freshly ground black pepper. I like to add a side of lemon wedge to add more zesty flavor, it really brightens up the whole dish.

To add a little crunch, then roast some pine nuts or chopped cashews in a pan while the veggies are cooking. Use them to garnish your bowl for a crunch and more layers of texture.

And if you have some vegan parmesan cheese, then be sure to add some for a nice boost of umami taste. I like using my vegan parmesan cheese made with almonds, but store-bought parmesan is great too. A crumble of vegan tofu feta over the pasta when serving would also be lovely.

This pasta dish would be perfect with a side salad, such as this arugula spinach salad and this kale apple salad!

Variations

This is such a versatile recipe! There are pretty much endless ways you can make it your own, but here are some great ideas:

• Vegetables: you can include different veggies if you prefer, such as cauliflower, onion, mushrooms and baby spinach (raw). This is a great recipe to clean up your fridge!
• Flavoring: you can tweak the flavor profile by adding some more herbs (such as mint, dill), spices (such as cayenne pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes), balsamic vinegar, more fresh lemon juice and nutritional yeast.
• Pesto sauce: other pesto sauces that would be great are this red pepper pesto and this oil-free walnut pesto. We also love this tahini pesto sauce used to make this couscous salad and for an ultra-creamy dish, then you can use your blender to make the pesto, such as seen in this creamy cashew pesto sauce.
• Protein: to boost with extra protein, then feel free to add some roasted tofu or tempeh. Frozen and thawed edamame would also work well to make your meal higher in protein! And also, using lentil pasta, brown rice pasta or chickpea pasta would make this recipe higher in protein (and gluten-free!).

Storage tips

This pesto veggie pasta is a great recipe to meal prep ahead! You can make it for picnics, summer BBQs, potlucks or just to prep a few lunches ahead of a big week.

Store the veggies pesto pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can eat the leftovers cold or at room temperature or reheat by using the microwave. It can dry out a little as it chills, so feel free to add a splash of water before reheating if needed.

FAQs

How can I make this recipe oil-free?

To make it oil-free, then you will have to make the pesto sauce yourself. This walnut pesto sauce is made oil-free, although you can make any pesto recipe oil-free by using a little water instead of olive oil.

Can I freeze it?

I don't recommend freezing this recipe for the best texture (the pasta will likely turn too soft or mushy once thawed).

That being said, if you are making the pesto sauce yourself, then you can freeze some of it if you don't need the whole batch!

Can I use raw veggies?

Yes! You actually do not have to roast the vegetables, you could simply chop them and add them raw to the pasta and pesto sauce. This would be great on a very hot summer day when you are looking for something super fresh and quick to make.

Can I pan-fry the vegetables?

Yes! Especially if in the summer or when you want to avoid turning on the oven, then you can fry the vegetables in a pan or a large skillet. Start with the veggies that need more cooking, then add the more delicate ones towards the end. Also, if using fresh corn, then you can remove the raw kernels from the cobs and cook them right in the pan with the other veggies.

More vegan summer pasta recipes you might like

• Roasted red pepper and tomato pasta
• Pasta al pesto
• Creamy lemon garlic pasta
• Creamy sun-dried tomato pasta
• Vegan peanut noodles
• Creamy green pasta sauce
• Broccoli avocado pasta
• Tofu bolognese

I hope you like this veggie pesto pasta recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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