This post has been updated and first appeared on Italian Kitchen Confessions on September 8th, 2020.
By now you know that I have a thing for fresh produce and for pesto. Pesto is a great sauce throughout the entire year. This recipe calls for whole wheat spaghetti, kale, and for the Arugula Mint Pesto, which is a vegan take on the classic Pesto Genovese.
This recipe is an explosion of flavors and textures: the grassy, nutty and creamy pesto meets the chewy spaghetti topped with crunchy almonds and kale chips. This Arugula & Mint vegan pesto pasta is a wholesome meal that you can easily prepare for a weeknight dinner.
Why you will love it
– Easy and quick to make
– Suitable for many intolerances, this pesto recipe is dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free.
– Healthy and light, this recipe is at the core of the Mediterranean diet: wholewheat grains, EVOO, fresh herbs and nuts.
– Something different than the classic basil pesto or pesto genovese.
How to make Vegan Pesto with Arugula & Mint
Arugula Mint Pesto is a vegan version of the classic pesto. You will need 8 ingredients, 1 bowl and one blender or food processor. It will require less than 20 minutes. For this vegan pesto I used arugula and mint as I like the contrast between the pungent and spicy arugula and the freshness of the mint.
As in all pestos, you need to add a nut as a core ingredient, and in this case, I used almonds and cashew nuts. The delicate taste of almonds goes well with the peppery notes of the arugula, and the cashews give a touch of creaminess. And there are some spices such as cumin, pepper and dry sage. Of course, as any Italian recipe, garlic cannot be left out!
You will need to place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and you will add the EVOO little by little, to dilute it slowly and make the sauce creamy.
This recipe will make a small jar of 8 oz or 1 cup, and yield 8 portions equivalent to 2 tablespoons per portion.
Italian cooking tips on how to make the best dry pasta
I would love to take credit for these tips, but I must confess I learned these secrets from my dad.
– Always add salt to the water when it starts boiling, regardless of the sauce you will put on your pasta.
– While the pasta is cooking, remove half a cup of the cooking water, you will use to dilute your sauce.
– Once the pasta is ready switch off the stove, quickly take the pot to your sink, and add a bit of cold running water to stop the cooking. This will ensure your pasta is “al dente” (firm to the tooth).
– Add the pasta to the pot or bowl where you have the sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, which will help it better coat your pasta. Toss until all is combined and plate it.
How to make Vegan Pesto Pasta
Start by washing the kale and tearing it into small pieces. Add the kale in a bowl with EVOO and salt, massage it until it softens. Place it in the oven at 400° F for about 10-15 minutes until the leaves resemble chips.
Follow the tips above on how to make the vegan pesto and to cook the pasta. Place in a serving bowl the vegan pesto sauce, add the cooked pasta, 2 tablespoons of its cooking water and some EVOO. Toss is until combined. Plate it, adding on top some shaved almonds and the kale chips. MANGIA!
Recipe variations
Pesto is a very versatile sauce and you can combine different ingredients according to your preferences. You can sub almonds and cashews with any other nuts of your preference. The same applies to the arugula and mint.
A few combinations are:
– walnuts, parsley and basil
– pistachios, mint and basil
– kale, coriander and macadamia or brazil nuts
Looking for more Pesto Recipes?
This vegan pesto is great to toss a salad as well: try my Kale Cannellini Salad with Arugula Mint Pesto.
Looking for other pesto pasta ideas? Check out:
In the mood for a sandwich? The Pesto Panini is a tasty one to try.
How to use Vegan Pesto?
Pesto is a great sauce to have handy or to whip up in minutes, so that you can use it to:
– Toss a pasta either warm or cold, in case you go for a pasta salad.
– It makes a great dressing for salads or grilled vegetables.
– It is a great spread for a tasty sandwich.
– You can serve it as a tasty dip with some raw vegetables stick.
Storing suggestions
This pesto will stay good 2 weeks in an airtight container if you store it in the refrigerator.
You can also jar it, and it will stay good for 6-8 months. For instructions on the jarring method check my recent post Authentic Italian Homemade Tomato Sauce.
Please let me know how you like the Vegan Pesto Pasta with Arugula and Mint in the comments! I would really love to hear from you, and hope this dish will be soon part of your weeknight dinner rotations!
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup arugula salad
- ½ cup mint
- ¼ cup almond slivered, unsalted
- ¼ cup cashew unsalted
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp water
- ⅛ tsp cumin
- ⅛ tsp black pepper crushed
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp sage dried
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a bowl. Slowly add the oilve oil and with an immersion blender, blend until creamy (see notes).
- Transfer the sauce in a glass jar, keep it refrigerated and use it within 10 days. (see notes).
Notes
- it is very important to add the extra virgin olive oil very slowly, in order to make the sauce creamy.
- If you will use a food processor, follow the same procedure and add the olive oil very slowly.
- The pesto will last 10 days in the refrigerator. If you jar it, it will last between 6-8 months.
Nutrition
Ingredients
For the Topping
- 1 cup kale leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ⅙ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp almonds shaved
For the Pasta
- 1 l water
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2/3 pound pasta spaghetti wholewheat
For the Arugula Mint Vegan Pesto
- 4 servings arugula mint vegan pesto
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
To make the fresh tomatoes sauce
- Wash the kale, tear the leaves in small pieces and place it in a bowl with the oil and salt, massage it until it softens Place the kale leaves, spaced out among each other, on a baking tray.
- Switch the oven to 400° F (200 C°) and place the baking tray inside for 10-15 minutes, until the kale hardens and resemble the form of chips.
To make the Pasta
- Before starting to prepare the vegan pesto, put a pot of water on the stovetop. Add the salt and bring to a boil.
- When the water is boiling, add the pasta.
- Cook as per the time in the instructions. It should be al dente. Remove 2 tablespoon of the cooking water.
- Remove the pot from the stove and put under the sink. Put a splash of cold tap water to stop the cooking and then dump it in a colander to drain.
- Transfer the pasta to the bowl where you put the sauce, add 2 tablespoon of the cooking water. Add 1 tablespoon if evoo. Toss it together until combined.
- Serve it in individual plates, topping it with the kale chips and shaved almonds.
Notes
- I usually leave the garlic whole and remove it before adding the pasta. Your choice if you want to mince it.
- Always add salt to the water before boiling, regardless of the sauce you will put on your pasta.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking water to the tomato sauce, it will help the sauce to coat better.
- Once the pasta is ready switch off the stove, quickly take the pot to your sink, and add a bit of cold running water to stop the cooking. This will ensure your pasta is “al dente” (firm to the tooth).
Nutrition
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