Memorial Day has come which means summer is just about here… (although it’s STILL raining in Park City!!) This pasta dish reminds me of summer. It was one of my favorite summer dishes growing up – my Mom would make it with fresh tomatoes & fresh basil from her garden, and add brie or mozzarella which would melt deliciously into all the pasta. Here’s my vegan version with a few substitutions including daiya mozzarella and some white beans for extra protein.
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt & pepper
2 TBS pesto of your choice (for vegan make sure it contains no dairy)
1/3 cup white beans (cooked)
Handful fresh basil
1/2 box of pasta (of your choice)
1/2 cup daiya vegan mozzarella cheese
Vegan parmesan cheese
Start by boiling a pot of water and cook your pasta according to directions. While the pasta cooks, heat up the EVOO over medium low and add the minced garlic and tomatoes. Cook for several minutes, careful to lower the heat if necessary so as not to burn. Add in the pesto and white beans and wait for the pasta to finish cooking.
When the pasta is ready, add directly to the tomato/pesto/garlic mixture and save some pasta water on the side. Mix well to coat and add more pesto and/or olive oil if everything seems a little dry. Add in about 1/4 cup pasta water to help mix and coat everything well. Sprinkle in the vegan parmesan and mix well.
Finally top with the vegan mozzarella and sprinkle with fresh basil. Enjoy!
Although the sun is refusing to shine, our adventures will go on…
