Description
Creamy lemon basil pasta with a bright cashew-based sauce, finished with roasted chickpeas and vegetables for a fresh, satisfying, and summery plant-based meal.
Ingredients
¾ cup (100 g) raw cashews
1 cup (245 ml) water
½ cup (13 g) fresh basil leaves, packed
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
1 garlic clove
½–¾ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 cups (300 g) dried pasta
1 (15.5 oz / 439 g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp olive, avocado, or safflower oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp dried parsley
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
1 lb (454 g) fresh tomatoes
1½ cups (200 g) corn kernels
½ lb (227 g) broccolini
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
Cooking oil spray
Instructions
- Place cashews in a bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside to soak while preparing the toppings.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Toss chickpeas with oil, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, parsley, and cayenne. Spread on half of one baking sheet.
- Cut tomatoes into wedges, remove seeds, place on the other half of the same sheet, spray lightly with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the chickpeas and tomatoes on the top rack for 10 minutes.
- Arrange broccolini on one side of the second baking sheet and drizzle with lemon juice. Add corn to the other side, spray lightly with oil, and season.
- After 10 minutes, place the second sheet on the lower rack and continue roasting everything for 25 minutes without stirring.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving ½ cup pasta water before draining.
- Drain soaked cashews and blend with 1 cup water, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Return pasta to the pot, add sauce over low heat, and thin with reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve pasta topped with roasted broccolini, corn, tomatoes, and chickpeas.
Notes
Soaking cashews helps create a smoother sauce.
Adjust lemon juice for a milder or brighter flavor.
Use any short pasta shape or gluten-free pasta if needed.
Reheat gently to maintain sauce texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 78 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
