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Vegan Creamy Pasta (Zesty Avocado, Basil and Cashew sauce)

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Smooth avocado, fragrant basil and creamy cashew. If you are looking for a healthy alternative to creamy pasta, this is a must-try. Brought together with the zestiness of lemon, this makes a perfect summer evening dish.

Ingredients

  • Spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine pasta
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 1 handful (or around 2 cups) cups fresh basil leaves and chopped stalks
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 large avocado
  • 1 medium garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (you can add more at the end, depending on the texture you’d like)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon water (you can increase/decrease this for consistency)
  • For sprinkling:
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Pinch of chilli flakes

Instructions

  1. Pop your spaghetti on the stove and cook according to instructions
  2. Put everything up to (and including) the crushed garlic into a blender or food processor
  3. Blend until smooth. I like to add a bit of crunch by not completely blending the cashews.
  4. Add the lemon juice and salt, to taste. Everyone’s palate is different, so play around with the seasoning until it works for you. Remember, you will be topping this with lemon zest.
  5. Add water slowly until you reach the desired consistency – for me, it’s like that of shop-bought guacamole (I make mine quite chunky, hence this comparison)
  6. Check your flavour and decide if you need more salt
  7. Add this to your freshly cooked pasta and toss thoroughly
  8. Serve and top with lemon zest and a pinch of chilli flakes

Notes

  • I sometimes add a sprinkle of parmesan, but the dish is actually so flavourful that it’s not necessary. Try to use Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, which is lactose-free, as alternatives are also more likely to contain preservatives.
  • For an additional element of green health goodness, add chopped parsley as an optional topping.
  • Salad dressing – a perfect accompaniment for an energising kale and avocado salad
  • This makes a great avocado dip, as an alternative (or in addition!) to guacamole

Find it online: https://juliapratten.com/vegan-creamy-pasta/