Name: Thai basil pesto udon
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1.5 oz Thai basil; 1 oz cilantro; 17.66 oz udon noodles; 1.75 oz cashews; 1 green chili; 3 tsp miso paste; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tsp sesame oil; lime (for serving)

Thai basil pesto udon

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"I first saw Thai basil pesto on Pascal Grob’s (a Swiss-Thai food journalist) Instagram—and knew it was for me! Thai basil has a very distinct herbal flavor, though you could say that is somewhat similar to Italian basil, their overall tastes are very different, so be sure to use the Thai variant here. You can find it at most Asian supermarkets and many other well-stocked grocery stores. This version is completely vegan and gets its complex umami flavors from Japanese miso paste, sesame oil, and cashew nuts, which are roasted to enhance them further! If you like it a little spicier, you can season it to taste with hot chili powder or chili flakes. I sure always do! This recipe is part of “The Community Issue,” a collaboration with Infarm—the urban farming revolutionaries based in our Berlin community; with global reach across 10 countries and 30 cities. Check out their website for more information and to check if their 100% locally grown produce is available in your community."

Step 2/3

Pluck Thai basil leaves from the larger stems. You can keep the thin stems that are close to the top. Add to a food processor. Cut thick stems off the cilantro, discard them and add the leaves with thin stems to the food processor. Roughly chop the green chili and add to the food processor. Add miso, three-quarter of the roasted cashews, vegetable oil and sesame oil and process to a smooth pesto with a few cashew bits still intact. If the consistency is too thick, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil or some water and stir.

22½ g Thai basil

15 g cilantro

½ green chili

1½ tsp miso paste

37½ g cashews

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

pot

food processor

Pluck Thai basil leaves from the larger stems. You can keep the thin stems that are close to the top. Add to a food processor. Cut thick stems off the cilantro, discard them and add the leaves with thin stems to the food processor. Roughly chop the green chili and add to the food processor. Add miso, three-quarter of the roasted cashews, vegetable oil and sesame oil and process to a smooth pesto with a few cashew bits still intact. If the consistency is too thick, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil or some water and stir.

Step 3/3

Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain, and reserve some cooking liquid. Either serve each portion of noodles topped with a big dollop of pesto and the rest of the roasted cashews, or just mix the whole portion in a big bowl, adding a little of the cooking liquid if it seems a little dry. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

250 g udon noodles

12½ g cashews

colander

Cook the noodles according to package instructions, drain, and reserve some cooking liquid. Either serve each portion of noodles topped with a big dollop of pesto and the rest of the roasted cashews, or just mix the whole portion in a big bowl, adding a little of the cooking liquid if it seems a little dry. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

Thai basil pesto udon

Ingredients

Utensils

Nutrition per serving

Step 1/3

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Enjoy your meal!

How-To Videos

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How to chop green herbs

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