Vegan Pea Pesto Pasta
A vegan pea pesto that tastes even better than it looks (it’s possible, I promise). Paired with grape tomatoes, beets, basil, and mint, this pasta suddenly turns into a great summer dish. Throw it together in 30 minutes, and prepare the table on the patio with a glass of white wine in hand. Enjoy.
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Introduction
Summer recipes come in many shapes and sizes. Some are light, some heavy. Some come in a bowl, some in a wrap. There are very few parameters for what makes a summer meal. In fact, sometimes the guidelines are so loose, it’s hard to tell whether you should be making it in early August or Late December - you just know. And with this dish, you just know.
Maybe it’s the great colours, or the vegetables on top, but even though this is a pasta dish, I can’t help but picture myself eating it on the patio with salad, garlic bread, a glass of wine, and good company.
Timing is everything with this recipe. The beets can be tricky, so don’t be harsh on yourself if it takes a little bit longer than the recipe suggests. It happens all the time for me - half the time I start plating sooner than expected. Keep an eye on the beets and give them a test every once in a while to see if they’re cooked. They might surprise you.
The secret to this dish lies all in the pesto. You want that flavour to shine, so after you blend it, be generous with your salting. Add a little bit, taste. Repeat until you’re happy.
Check out the Spruce it Up section down below for ideas on how to take this recipe to the next level.
Before we Get Started
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 3-4 Bowls
*Keep in mind that the cooking time for the beets can vary widely. The beets I used when designing this recipe were between the size of a golf ball and the size of a baseball.
Ingredients
2 small/medium beets
10-15 Grape Tomatoes
300g Fettuccine
Or pasta of your choice
Mint
Basil
1/2 Head of Broccoli
1/2 Red Onion
3 cloves Garlic
2 cups Green Peas
3/4 Cup Olive Oil
Try to use the best quality you can, but don’t sweat it if you only have vegetable oil.
Warm water
Crushed Red Chili Flakes
Lemon Juice
Method
Bring two pots of water to a boil. Salt both generously.
Add both beets to one of the pots, unpeeled. Cover the pot, and let boil for approximately 15 minutes.
They may need more time. To determine when the beets are finished, stab them with a fork. If you are able to do so easily, without any give, they are finished cooking.
Have a look at the packaging for your pasta to see how long it will take to cook. Add to second pot of water, and cook.
I like to time my pasta to finish five minutes after my beets finish cooking. So if my pasta takes 10 minutes to cook, I’ll begin cooking it when there are five minutes left on the beets.
While the beets are cooking, add your peas, olive oil, a few leaves of both basil and mint, and a splash of water into a blender, and blend until smooth. Have a taste, and add salt to your liking.
Cut your broccoli into small florets.
When your beets have finished cooking, add them to a bowl with ice and water to cool them down and stop the cooking process. Peel them with a peeler or small knife, and chop roughly into 1/2 Cm cubes. Halve your grape tomatoes.
Preheat a pan with oil to medium-high heat. Dice your red onion and garlic, and add to the pan. Cook until translucent, then add your pea pesto, broccoli, and grape tomatoes.
Drain and rinse your pasta, and add it to the pan. Toss lightly to coat your pasta with the sauce. Add salt and pepper.
I like to be quite generous with my pepper. Add salt to taste.
Begin plating - add your grape tomatoes and beets to the pasta after plating instead of in the pan so that they don’t stain the pasta. Add a few mint/basil leaves, as well as a sprinkle of red chili flakes.
Drizzle with a bit of lemon juice.
Enjoy.
Spruce it Up
To really take your pesto the next level, toast some pine nuts in the oven. Add to the blender with the other ingredients.
After plating, drizzle with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and top with your favourite vegan cheese.
Add any of your favourite vegetables to this dish, green beans work great, as well as bell peppers.