My Choice tips – how to make vegan basil pesto

The great thing about the new My Choice bag is that you can get the whole family involved with choosing what’s for dinner each week! Customise your own bag from 10 of our favourite recipes to suit your week!

Nadia’s faves next week include Butterflied Lamb with Seasonal Veggies and Gravy, and Veggie Creamy Mushroom Lasagne with Basil Pesto. These recipes are coming up in My Choice on 16th August. Find out more about our My Choice Bag and how to order for 2 or 4 people, for 3, 4 or 5 nights for next weekend here.

How to make vegan basil pesto

We’re big fans of pesto, it’s super tasty and easy to make. Lately we’ve been trying this plant-based twist to the traditional recipe that comes pre-made with some My Food Bag meals including the Veggie Lasagne in next week’s My Choice bag. All you need is basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon. Watch the video below to see how Nadia makes it!

Asset 138

Creamy Mushroom Skillet Lasagne with Pesto & Ricotta

Creamy mushroom and lentil skillet lasagne with ricotta cheese and basil pesto.
Servings 4
Ready in 45 minutes

Ingredients

Lasagne

  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 500g button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp Italian herbs
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp ground fennel
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 drizzle of oil
  • cups vegetable stock
  • 2 cans chopped tomatoes
  • cup split red lentils
  • 1 tsp salt
  • cup lite sour cream
  • 250g fresh lasagne sheets

Topping

  • 1 courgette, peeled into ribbons
  • 200g ricotta cheese
  • 1 drizzle of oil
  • 100g basil pesto (comes pre-made in My Food Bag, or see recipe below)

To serve

  • 1 bunch basil, leaves picked

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 220°C (or 200°C fan bake). If you don’t have a large oven-proof fry-pan, set aside a large baking dish.
  • Prep onion, mushrooms, carrot and courgette. Set aside separately.
  • Heat oil in a large, oven-proof fry-pan on high heat. Cook onion and mushrooms for 4-5 minutes, until softened and browned. Add sugar, spices and carrot to pan and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
  • Add stock, canned tomatoes, lentils and salt to pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to minimum and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until sauce has reduced slightly and lentils have softened. Remove from heat and stir through sour cream. Transfer mixture to baking dish, if using.
  • Carefully separate lasagne sheets and cut into rectangles (roughly 10×5 cm). Gently fold individual pasta sheets through sauce, ensuring sheets are separated and not sticking together. Top with courgette ribbons, dollops of ricotta and pesto. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Bake lasagne for about 15 minutes, until golden on top and pasta is tender.
  • Prep basil.
  • Serve lasagne topped with basil.

Notes

Nutritional Info

Energy 2791kJ / 667 cal
Protein 25g
Carbohydrate 62.5g
Fat 33.7g
 
Plant Based Basil Pesto:
basil 2 cups
garlic ½ clove
toasted pine nuts ¼ cup
extra virgin olive oil ⅓ cup
lemon juice 1-2 tablespoons
salt and black pepper
Combine basil, garlic, toasted pine nuts in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly add extra virgin olive oil, then season to taste with lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
Calories: 667kcal

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