High Protein Pesto Pasta (Vegan Recipe)
This extra yummy high protein pesto pasta is healthy, easy to make, and yummy when hot or cold. This vegan recipe is protein-rich, oil free, gluten free, eggless, filling, and great as a post workout meal!
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It’s perfect as a healthy lunch or dinner. It’s super nutritious because the ingredients are mostly whole foods, high in protein, and less heavy than your typical pesto pasta since it’s oil free.
Healthy Plant-based Pesto Pasta
I love pasta, and mung bean pasta is my favorite among legume pastas! I get mine from Whole Foods and it’s delicious hot or cold. I also like a good pesto, but the traditional ones tend to be a little too heavy for my taste. I love this recipe because it’s:
Healthier than most pesto pasta recipes I’ve seen.
Super quick and easy to make. You can be done in 10 minutes.
Ingredients are mostly whole foods, hence it’s very nutritious.
High in protein due to the mung bean pasta.
Only 7 Ingredients
Mung bean pasta
Tomatoes
Fresh basil
Walnuts
Garlic
Apple cider vinegar
Nutritional yeast
If you want a creamier pesto, you could add more walnuts, or replace some of the water with olive oil
Sometimes I like to add a pinch of smoked chili powder, for that little extra kick.
I have mixed this healthy pesto with cooked chickpeas and it was a great combo! You can also use it in sandwiches, as a burger topping, as a salad dressing, with fries, roasted vegetables, or as dressing for vegan skewers!
Since this pesto is not high in fat, I tend to freeze it if I have leftovers.
How to Make this 10-Minute Protein Pesto Pasta?
You need a food processor (or blender) and a pot for this recipe.
Add all ingredients but the pasta and tomatoes to the food processor and blend.
Taste your pesto and adjust to your taste preference. Sometimes I add more garlic, for example, since I am a garlic nut!
Cook the mung bean pasta following package instructions. I use Organic Whole Foods mung bean pasta and it cooks in 8 minutes.
Stir the pesto in with your mung bean pasta.
Add some fresh parsley and sesame seeds as toppings (optional).
This High Protein Pesto Pasta Is
Gluten free
High in plant-based protein
Egg-free
Dairy-free (without butter)
Healthier than most pesto pasta recipes I’ve seen
Soy free
Fast to make
Great as lunch or dinner
Please let me know if you make it!! Rate it and comment below. I love to hear about your creations too and any alterations you might make to the ingredients.
Also, don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @veggielation and #veggielation because I would love to see your take on this recipe!
Thanks!!!
High Protein Pesto Pasta (Vegan Recipe)
This extra yummy high protein pesto pasta is healthy, easy to make, and yummy when hot or cold. This vegan recipe is protein-rich, oil free, gluten free, eggless, filling, and great as a post workout meal!
Ingredients (US Customary)
- 8 oz mung bean pasta
- 3 small tomatoes (chopped)
- 4 cups fresh basil (extra packed)
- 1/3 cup walnuts baking pieces
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup water (more if needed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Toppings (optional):
- Fresh parsley
- White sesame seeds
Ingredients (Metric)
- 227 grs mung bean pasta
- 3 small tomatoes (chopped)
- 4 cups extra packed fresh basil (162 grs)
- 40 grs walnuts baking pieces
- 4 medium garlic cloves (26 grs)
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 28 grs nutritional yeast
- 83 ml water (more if needed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Toppings (optional):
- Fresh parsley
- White sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add all ingredients but the pasta and tomatoes to the food processor and blend until you have tiny chunks. Some people prefer their pesto very smooth, if that's you, keep blending until smooth.
- Taste your pesto and adjust to your taste preference. Sometimes I add more garlic, for example, since I am a garlic nut!
- Cook the mung bean pasta following package instructions. I use organic Whole Foods mung bean pasta and it cooks in 8 minutes.
- Stir the pesto in with your mung bean pasta. Full disclosure, I like my pasta swimming in pesto, so you might want to add less pesto than the whole recipe.
- Add some fresh parsley and sesame seeds as toppings (optional).
Notes
Creaminess: if you want a creamier pesto, you could add more walnuts, or replace some of the water with olive oil.
Spiciness: sometimes I like to add a pinch of smoked chili powder for that extra little spicy kick.
Other pesto uses: I have mixed this pesto with cooked chickpeas and it was a great combo! You can also use it in sandwiches, burgers, salads, with fries, roasted vegetables, or even as dressing for vegan skewers!
Leftovers: since this pesto is not high in fat, I tend to freeze it if I have leftovers.
Visit VeggiElation.com for more plant-based recipes that are both healthy and tasty!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1
Servings: 4
| Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories 321 | ||
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 8g | 13% | |
| Saturated Fat 0.8g | 4.4% | |
| Total Carbohydrates 46g | 18% | |
| Fiber 18g | 64% | |
| Sugar 6g | 15% | |
| Protein 22g | 28% | |
*Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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