Tomorrow will be my first day as a junior in high school. The back-to-school season is always bittersweet, as I’m sad to see summer go, but excited for fall and everything that it brings. The pumpkins, the colorful leaves, the Halloween decorations… it’s all so fun! The cooler weather is also a refreshing change from the long, hot months of summer. However, as excited as I am for all of that, I am definitely going to miss summer and all its perks. I mean, the lack of schoolwork on its own is enough to make me wish it could be summer year-round. But besides that, there’s also the pool parties, the outdoor concerts, and the abundance of fresh produce!

This summer, in our vegetable garden, my family grew eggplants, carrots, purple potatoes, and cherry tomatoes. Most importantly, we also grew fresh basil! Basil is such a versatile ingredient and can make any dish taste fresh and summery. Having some in the backyard was super convenient, since I could just go pick some and throw it into whatever I was cooking. One of my favorite dishes that I made using fresh basil this summer was a simple spaghetti with sun-dried tomato and basil pesto. I started out by making an easy 4-ingredient cashew parmesan, and throwing it into a food processor with basil, garlic, olive oil, and some sun-dried tomatoes that I found in the fridge. After that, I just stirred the pesto mixture in with some cooked spaghetti, and added a little extra olive oil and vegan parmesan. Oh, and I also stirred in some fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden, because why not? My parents were pleasantly surprised to see what I had cooked using ingredients from the backyard, and they were highly impressed with the taste. My parents are tough critics when it comes to pasta, so I knew that if they liked it, the recipe was definitely worth sharing!

Print Spaghetti With Fresh Basil and Sun-dried Tomatoes (Vegan) The subtle sweetness of fresh basil is combined with the tartness of sun-dried tomatoes in this pasta recipe, making for the perfect summer dish. An easy 4-ingredient cashew parmesan adds a cheesiness that takes the flavor up a notch! Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 25 minutes Servings 3 servings Calories 545.1 kcal Author Ayaka Ingredients For the Vegan Parmesan 1/4 cup raw cashews

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch of garlic powder For the Pesto 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes not packed in oil

3 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup fresh basil

2 large cloves garlic

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp vegan parmesan To Serve 8 oz uncooked thin spaghetti

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp vegan parmesan plus more for serving

8 cherry tomatoes halved

Fresh basil leaves Instructions For the Vegan Parmesan Add the cashews, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder to a food processor and pulse into a fine meal. Transfer to a separate container and set aside. For the Pesto Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic, salt, pepper, and vegan parmesan to a food processor and blend into a pesto-like consistency with a few remaining chunks of sun-dried tomato. To Serve Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions. Add drained pasta back to the empty pot along with pesto, olive oil, and additional 1 tbsp vegan parmesan. Toss to coat. Stir in halved cherry tomatoes, and serve with fresh basil and remaining vegan parmesan. Recipe Notes If desired, you can blend the pesto all the way rather than leaving in chunks of sun-dried tomato, for a more uniform consistency throughout.

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