Vegan Pesto Alfredo

INGREDIENTS

8 oz pasta of your choice

4 tbs vegan butter or olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

4 tbs corn starch (or all purpose flour)

2 cups of almond milk

1/4 cup vegan parmesan (recipe below)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

salt & pepper

2-4 tbs vegan pesto (recipe here)

Red pepper flakes

• Add your pasta to a pot of boiling, well-salted water and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter and minced garlic and stir until the garlic turns golden, 2 minutes or so. Make sure not to let it burn.

• Add corn starch or flour and whisk until combined. Let cook another minute.

• Add your almond milk, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking and scraping the sides as you go. Once all the milk is combined, let simmer for 4-5 min to let it thicken. Add more milk if your sauce is too thin.

• Turn down your heat to simmer and add the vegan parmesan, garlic powder, squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt and pepper (original recipe has you blending all of these ingredients with the thickened sauce for creaminess but I didn’t and mine turned out super smooth) *

• Add the pesto (measurement depends of the level of pesto flavor you want in the alfredo sauce) and stir to combine. Taste and add more of any of the seasonings or lemon juice to your liking!

• Add the pasta to the sauce and mix it all together.

• Serve immediately with a side of your favorite veggies and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes on top!

VEGAN PARMESAN

3/4 cup raw cashews

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

• Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until a fine powder is formed. Store in a container in the fridge for up to a few weeks. Use as you would normal parmesan cheese!

(original Alfredo recipe by Minimalist Baker, modified slightly)

*you can omit the pesto for a delicious and creamy alfredo sauce