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Creamy Pesto Pasta

Name: Creamy Pesto Pasta
Cuisine: italian

A luscious, plant-based pasta dish featuring a fresh basil pesto blended with Flora Professional 15% Cooking cream for a silky, creamy finish. This vegan recipe is nut free and dairy free, showcasing vibrant green herbs, aromatic garlic, and a zesty hint of lemon, all coating perfectly cooked pasta for a satisfying Mediterranean-inspired main course.

Cooking time15 minutes
Preparation time10 minutes
DifficultyEasy
Servings4 portions

INGREDIENTS
PREPARATION

350g dried pasta (penne, fusilli or spaghetti)
40g fresh basil leaves (about 2 packed cups)
2 large garlic cloves
60ml extra virgin olive oil (4 tbsp)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
200ml Flora Professional 15% Cooking Cream

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, place the fresh basil leaves, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice into a blender or food processor. Blend until a smooth pesto forms.
Pour the Floras 15% Cooking Cream into a large non-stick pan and heat gently over low-medium heat (do not boil). Once warm, stir in the basil pesto and mix well until fully combined and creamy.
Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired.
Serve immediately, garnished with extra basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper.