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Lemon Peel Pesto
[Vegan]

CB By: Carleigh Bodrug

Author Bio

With 10 million followers between her social channels, New York Times bestselling author Carleigh Bodrug... Read More

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Lemon Peel Pesto [Vegan]

Dairy Free

Vegan

What happens when you replace the basil in my favorite vegan pesto recipe with lemon peels? Magic—that’s what. This easy recipe utilizes the low-waste magic of pasta water (a.k.a. liquid gold) and two entire lemons to create the creamy plant-based sauce of your dreams. Quick enough for a weeknight meal... Read More

Ingredients You Need for Lemon Peel Pesto [Vegan]

For the Pasta:

16 ounces fettuccine or gluten-free pasta of choice
2 whole lemons, preferably organic
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts, soaked overnight or boiled for 10 minutes
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

For Serving:

Chopped parsley, homemade vegan parm, and black pepper, if desired

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How to Prepare Lemon Peel Pesto [Vegan]

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 2 1/2 cups of the pasta 166 water. Set the pasta aside.
While the pasta cooks, peel the lemons, discarding as much of the white pith as you can, as it is bitter. I like to use a potato peeler for this.
In a blender or food processor, put in the cashews, lemon peels, juice of the lemons, garlic, nutritional yeast, 13/4 cups of the reserved pasta water, salt, and pepper. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed, adding more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.
Put the pasta back into the pot it was cooked in, and pour the sauce over the top, as well as the remaining pasta water to thin if needed. Toss gently with tongs over medium heat until the sauce is evenly dispersed and the pasta is warm. Serve with chopped parsley, vegan parm, and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

To add more veggies, sauté 1 head of broccoli, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, and 1⁄2 cup of green peas for 5 minutes over medium heat while the pasta is cooking and mix them into the pasta with the sauce at the end. This is also delicious with baked tofu.
Store in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

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