Recipe: Vegan Pesto Pasta Salad

VEGAN PESTO PASTA SALAD

Meet your new go-to summer pasta salad! This pasta salad can easily be prepared beforehand so that when you get back from a day at the beach, dinner will almost be ready! This summer pasta salad only takes 30 minutes to make and is the perfect balance of sweet and savoury.

ROBIN is the creator of the blog Greens, Eggs, and Yams. Her passion is creating vegan and gluten-free foods that don’t compromise on taste. She loves being in the kitchen, creating recipes that everybody can enjoy! GREENS, EGGS AND YAMS

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4 | vegan + gluten-free

4 cups gluten-free fusilli pasta 1½ cups fresh strawberries 1 cup cherry tomatoes ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)

BROCCOLI PESTO ½ cup broccoli ½ cup fresh basil leaves 1–2 garlic cloves half lemon, juiced 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small avocado ¼ cup nutritional yeast pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 4 cups of pasta. Follow the instructions on the box and cook al dente. Drain and set aside to cool. (Option to lay pasta out flat on a towel or baking sheet so the pasta doesn’t stick together.)

2. Cut the strawberries into halves or quarters and the cherry tomatoes in half. Place in a large salad bowl and set aside.

3. Prepare the pesto. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cut the broccoli into small florets. Place in a steamer basket over the pot of boiling water and steam 5–6 minutes until the stems are tender. (If you don’t have a steamer, you can simply put the broccoli directly into an inch of boiling water.) Place the broccoli into a food processor along with the other pesto ingredients. Blend until smooth.

4. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat and add raw pumpkin seeds. Toast 3–5 minutes until they start to brown. Set aside.

5. Once the pasta has cooled to your liking, add it to the strawberries and cherry tomatoes. Toss with the pesto to completely coat. Top with the toasted pumpkin seeds and extra fresh basil (optional).

This pasta salad is best eaten fresh, but can be stored in the fridge for 1–2 days. Enjoy! Fusilli pasta is paired with juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet and refreshing strawberries, and a coating of extra green pesto. Don’t forget the toasted pumpkin seeds on top for a little added crunch! This pesto pasta is hearty, flavour-packed, and so simple to make.