Vegan Zucchini Pesto Pasta | Creamy dairy-free pesto

This creamy vegan zucchini pesto pasta is a simple, fresh and healthy recipe perfect for the summer! It’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s full of flavours.

This pesto is a spin of the traditional Italian pesto made from basil (which you can find here). The recipe uses fresh courgettes or zucchini, that are seasonal to the summer, to make an incredibly tasty, creamy and seasonal summer meal.

Zucchini are one of my favourite vegetables and I had to create a vegan pesto with them. They are the queens of the summer and a great vegetable, they are cheap, nutritious and easy to get! They make up the perfect summer pesto!

It’s important to use seasonal produce for many reasons. Most importantly, they taste better, courgettes in the summer are much more flavorful than in the winter, so take advantage of this to make this delicious dairy-free pesto! You also get to buy the produce at a reasonable price and the vegetables also have more nutrients as they are as fresh as can be.

I love to make all sorts of recipes with zucchini/courgettes as they are so versatile, like these stuffed courgette rolls and stuffed courgette boats. In the summer, this zucchini pesto has been my absolute go-to for dinners and lunches. It is simply too easy to whip up and tasted so good! It’s made from only 7 ingredients that are accessible and inexpensive. I love this pesto because it is super creamy, the cooked zucchini is sautéed then blended with the rest of the ingredients to create a smooth and flavourful cream.

This dairy-free zucchini pesto is 

• Easy and quick: The shallot, zucchini and zucchini flowers are quickly sautéed in a pan then everything is blitzed up in a blender and served with pasta
• Seasonal: what better way to use up your zucchini when they are in season and there is plenty available. They are super flavourful and nutritious 
• Delicious – zucchini, if not cooked properly can taste a bit bland. This pesto recipe although really gives it what it deserves!
• Healthy – it is made from wholesome ingredients that are good for you and nutritous, and little olive oil is used.

What ingredients you will need

• Shallots – you can also use onion
• Zucchini
• Zucchini flowers – these are optional, but I absolutely love them!
• Almonds or other nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, cashews)
• Nutritional yeast – you might have seen this ingredient used in many vegan recipes. This ingredient is deactivated yeast (not for baking) that is in the form of yellow flakes that have a taste that resembles cheese. In this recipe it is used instead of parmesan cheese. If you’re not vegan substitute it with actual parmesan, although nutritional yeast makes a healthier and more nutritious alternative. It can be found in most supermarkets or organic stores.
• Fresh basil
• Olive oil – This recipe is not oil-free but uses very little olive oil for a healthier version
• Optional toppings – more almonds and vegan parmesan
• Pasta of your choice, I used orecchiette

How to make this vegan zucchini pesto pasta

First, cook your vegetables

You want to cook your zucchini and zucchini flowers. Start by sautéing the shallot, cut finely, in some olive oil. for 4 or 5 minutes. When it’s starting to become soft, add your sliced zucchini. Add salt and let cook until almost soft, for about 5 minutes, then add your zucchini flowers, cut into stripes.

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Make the pesto in a blender

When the flowers have wilted, it will only take a few minutes, take half of the vegetables out of the pan and place them in a blender. The rest of the zucchini and the flowers will be added to the pasta at the end. Add almonds, nutritional yeast, olive oil, basil and salt and pepper. Blend well, adding some water if necessary, it should be creamy. Taste the pesto and adjust if you like.

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Cook your pasta and combine the pesto

In the meantime, cook your pasta al dente. I used orecchiette because I love how they soak up any sauce, but you can use any type of pasta you like. To make it high in protein you can use lentil or chickpea pasta.

When the pasta is ready, drain it but keep some pasta water for later. Pour the pasta into the remaining vegetables left in the pan, give it a mix then add the pesto. Mix well and gradually add some pasta water, this will help in making it more creamy and finish cooking the pasta that is al dente. Toss it well and it’s ready.

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Serve your delicious dairy-free pesto!

The pasta is ready! Plate it and top it with some sliced almonds and your preferred vegan parmesan. I make it myself by blending cashews and nutritional yeast.

Substitutes for this zucchini pesto pasta

If you don’t have almonds, any other type of nut will work. Think cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, any will do. If you cannot eat nuts, you can use seeds instead: sunflower, pumpkin and more.

Zucchini flowers are easy to find in Italy, but it may not be the same in other countries. They’re an optional

If you’re gluten-free, use a gluten-free pasta of your choice.

This recipe already uses a small quantity of oil, but to make it completely oil-free, you can swap it for some pasta water or lemon juice

To make this pasta high in protein, use a pasta that is high in protein like lentil or chickpea pasta, or add legumes to the finished dish!

If you cannot find nutritional yeast, you can omit it. It is used in small amounts, enhances the flavour and helps to give the pesto a “cheesy” flavour, but without it the taste will not change dramatically.

Want to try more pesto recipes?

Check out some of my favourites:

• Traditional vegan basil pesto
• Basil and spinach pesto
• Rocket pesto pasta

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below, give it a rating or share your recreation on Instagram and tag me at  @recipesandplaces or use the hashtag #recipesandplaces

I love to see recreations and share them!