Basil & Walnut Tomato Pasta With Garlicky Broccoli
I saw a recipe for a delicious looking tomato sauce with the addition of a classic authentic pesto. It looked so delicious… but because I prefer to keep things as simplistic as possible (because I do not have time to make a homemade tomato sauce and a pesto at the same time) and also dairy free I knew I had to create my own version.
My version includes nutritional yeast instead of cheese. It is a great dairy free alternative to cheese and it contains B vitamins like B12 which is rare to find in plant based foods. I also included walnuts to this sauce which adds an amazing flavor as well as a great source of healthy fats (hello brain boost!).
Makes 4-6 servings
What you need:
Your choice of 4-6 servings of cooked pasta
3 tbsp of olive oil
3 cups of diced tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic minced
1/3 of a yellow onion diced
a few generous pinches of salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup walnut finely crushed
1 handful of fresh basil minced
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
Garlicky Broccoli:
4-6 cups of broccoli florets
2 cloves of garlic minced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
fresh ground black pepper to taste
a few pinches of salt
Directions:
Heat a large pan on the stove top over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Then add the garlic and onion and cook until fragrant. Then add the diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 5- 7 minutes. Add the walnuts, basil and nutritional yeast, lower to low-medium heat and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes. At this point you can add about 1/4 cup of water if needed to thin. Then add the nutritional yeast and lemon juice and cover. Lower the heat to low and let it simmer while you cook the broccoli and pasta. Preheat your oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the Garlicky Broccoli ingredients to the baking sheet and toss. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Then add your cooked pasta (about 4-6 servings) of choice to the sauce and toss. Serve with your choice of added protein and broccoli.