Saucy Zucchini Basil Pasta

20-minute dinners. The best thing ever, right? Add to that:

• major crowd-pleaser. My baby couldn’t get enough, my husband licked his plate.
• gluten-free, for those who need it
• dairy free, plant-based, as always
• nut-free
• oil-free
• uses zucchini, which is cheap and in abundance right now
• filling, high in protein, you won’t be hungry two hours after dinner

This meal is so delicious. You’ll be majorly missing out if you don’t try it.

Fresh basil might intimidate you if you don’t have a plant. My solution: buy a plant! They are often in the produce section of grocery stores and cost about $2. You can buy a tiny package of basil but it will probably cost more and have fewer leaves. You’ll love having a little potted basil plant for fresh herbs all year long.

The chickpea pasta might intimidate you. My solution: buy it and try it! It has a delicious bite to it and tastes like regular pasta, but has SO much more in it that regular pasta! I love that my baby devours this pasta (and their chickpea rice–soooo good!), and she’s not just eating flour but getting more calories, protein and fiber than any regular pasta could ever offer. For a young child who doesn’t eat much, that gives me a lot of peace. It’s the perfect kid food, but also the perfect adult food because it’s delicious and filling. To find where you can buy Banza pasta near you, click this link: https://www.eatbanza.com/pages/store-locator.

This recipe is easy: blend up fresh basil with a can of coconut milk to create the easiet two-ingredient pesto sauce ever. Add to sauteed onions and zucchini and toss with the pasta. So easy, so good!

5 from 1 vote

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Saucy Zucchini Basil Pasta

Prep Time

20 mins

 

A dlieicous basil sauce covers protein-rich chickpea pasta and tender zucchini for a very filling, creamy, delicious pasta dinner.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Banza pasta, basil, pesto pasta, zucchini

Author: Faithful Plateful

Ingredients

• 1 8-oz box Banza chickpea pasta (or other pasta)
• 1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil (I mean packed! Don't skimp!)
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small zucchini, diced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Boil pasta according to the directions on the box.

2. In a blender or bullet, blend the coconut milk and basil together to create a green sauce.

3. In a nonstick skillet, saute onion on med-high heat for about 3 minutes, adding small amounts of water as necessary to prevent sticking.

4. Add chopped zucchini and garlic and saute several more minutes until zucchini is tender, adding splashes of water again as necessary.

5. Once zucchini is tender, add coconut milk/basil sauce and let it come to a simmer. Simmer about 5 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened.

6. Stir veggies/sauce mixture together with the cooked pasta and add more salt and pepper to taste. I like a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top and additional salt and pepper.

Inpired by a recipe from Bohemian Vegan Kitchen.