Tender penne pasta is drenched in a silky dairy-free pesto sauce and tossed with juicy cherry tomatoes, briny olives, and peppery arugula to make this easy vegan pesto pasta! It's rich, packed with fresh flavor, and comes together in a flash with minimal prep work.
I am the world's worst gardener. Every year I plant tons of squash and tomatoes, then either forget to water them or generously donate them to the local deer population. Basil is the one thing that powers through, and I end up with way too much of it. So I make lots and lots of pesto. It'll either be my classic vegan pesto or my lemon pistachio pesto, both of which I love. But what does one do with mass quantities of pesto? Glad you asked! This creamy vegan pesto pasta calls for a full cup of it, and once I make it, it goes into heavy rotation. Poof! Pesto stash gone!
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Really, though, this recipe has a lot more going for it than the fact that it makes basil pesto disappear. It has the zesty, garlicky flavor of pesto in a creamy, silky-smooth sauce. Ahhhhhmazing. And it's one of the easiest dishes you can throw together. This is practically a no-chop recipe! (And if you want to skip halving the cherry tomatoes, I will look the other way.) Yet it tastes like it came from a restaurant.
Ready to start cooking? Let's go!
Tip: Looking for more ways to use pesto? Try my pesto hummus, vegan pesto caprese pizza, and green minestrone soup!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Pasta. I like this recipe with penne, but any dried pasta will work!
- Olive oil.
- Flour. The recipe calls for all-purpose wheat flour. Whole wheat also works. I haven't tested any other varieties, but I think many baking flours, even gluten-free blends, would be fine.
- Coconut milk. We're using full-fat coconut milk from a can, for maximum richness.
- Non-dairy milk. This is in addition to the coconut milk, and it can be pretty much anything unsweetened and unflavored. Read my guide to dairy-free milks if you need help choosing one.
- Vegan pesto. I use my homemade vegan pesto, but store-bought is fine.
- Cherry tomatoes.
- Arugula.
- Kalamata olives. Feel free to skip them if you're not an olive fan.
- Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed juice will give you the best possible flavor.
- Red pepper flakes. These will add a touch of heat. Skip them if that's not your thing.
- Salt and pepper.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Cook the pasta. Start it first, since the sauce comes together fast. Follow the package directions and just cook it until al dente. Drain it when done, but save a bit of the cooking water — you might need it later.
Step 2: Make the roux. Stir some olive oil and flour together in a large pot, then cook the mixture over medium heat until it darkens a bit and smells nutty. This is the thickener for your sauce.
Step 3: Simmer. Add coconut milk and your other non-dairy milk. Stir it up, bring the mixture to a simmer, and let it cook for about 5 minutes to thicken up.
Step 4: Add pesto and tomatoes. Stir in your pesto and halved cherry tomatoes, then just let it simmer for a minute longer. You're just softening the tomatoes.
Step 5: Add the rest. Take the pot off the heat, then quickly stir in the pasta, arugula, olives, and lemon juice. Stir well until the heat from the sauce starts to wilt the arugula. Add a bit of that pasta water if the sauce seems too thick.
Step 6: Finish the dish. Give the pasta a taste, then add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Feel free to adjust any other seasonings such as the pesto or lemon juice to your liking. And if you want to add more olives, I will support you in that decision.
Step 7: Serve. Your creamy vegan pesto pasta is ready to enjoy! Divide it onto plates or into bowls and dig in! I like to top mine with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan.
Variations
- Veggie swaps. Replace the cherry tomatoes with diced red bell pepper, chopped asparagus, or broccoli. Swap out the arugula with another delicate green like baby kale or spinach.
- Pesto flavors. You can get or make all kinds of pesto these days. Check out my kale pesto risotto and pea pesto stuffed shells. Peruse the internet, and you'll find recipes for things like beet pesto and carrot top pesto. They're pretty much all fair game here, so experiment away!
- Add-ins. Bulk this recipe up by adding a can of chickpeas, your favorite meat substitute, or vegan cheese (homemade vegan mozzarella would be awesome!).
Frequently Asked Questions
I think so, though I haven't tested a gluten-free version You'll need to use a gluten-free pasta and replace the flour with a gluten-free variety. Try an all-purpose gluten-free blend.
Leftover vegan pesto pasta will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Absolutely! Just check the ingredients to ensure it's vegan, since most pesto contains Parmesan cheese. Amore and Gotham Greens both make vegan pestos. I also love Trader Joe's vegan Kale Cashew pesto, if you want to try something a little different.
I can't at all! That said, if you really hate the taste of coconut, feel free to substitute another non-dairy milk. Go with a thick, rich variety, like a good cashew milk.
More Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dried penne pasta, or pasta of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 ¼ cups unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 cup vegan pesto (or to taste — Note 1)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups fresh arugula, packed
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (omit or reduce if your pesto contains lemon)
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions, until al dente (do not overcook). Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta into a colander when done.
- While the pasta cooks, coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Let the oil heat up for a minute, then add the flour. Stir the flour and oil together and cook the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and begins to smell nutty.
- Stir in the coconut milk and other non-dairy milk. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until it thickens up a bit.Â
- Stir in the pesto and cherry tomatoes and let the mixture simmer for 1 minute, until the tomatoes start to soften.
- Remove the pot from heat and immediately stir in the pasta, arugula, olives, and lemon juice. Stir until the arugula just starts to wilt. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it with a few splashes of the reserved pasta water.
- Taste-test and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Divide onto plates and serve.
Notes
- This recipe goes heavy on the pesto, and store-bought pesto in particular can be pretty intense. If you're not sure how much you want, start with less and add more to taste when the dish is finished.
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I have been making this recipe many times for the past months. I love it!
This time though I have made a little bit too much and I wanted to ask you (in case you know):
Do you think this dish can be frozen and stored in the freezer?
(imagine the amount I have made haha!)
thank you for your blog!
I'm so glad you like it and are enjoying the blog! The arugula might not hold up great in the freezer, but I don't think that would ruin the dish. Otherwise I think it should freeze fine.
Just what I've been looking for! I will be trying this soon.
I hope you enjoy it!!
Delicious
Thank you!!
This looks like it'll hit just the spot. I love having a roux in my pasta, and this looks pretty healthy.
Thanks Diego! I hope you enjoy it!
Does this have any coconut taste from the coconut milk?
Just a little bit! If you don't like/are sensitive to the taste of coconut you might notice it. But my husband was halfway through his plate when I told him it had coconut in it, and he was surprised.
I love orecchiette pasta. Those little indents (I call them fingerprints) are perfect for this type of sauce. My basil plant almost has enough basil for a good pesto portion. Can't wait to try this.
Yes! I love orecchiette with creamy sauces and lots of veggies. :) I hope you enjoy this!