1cupheavy creamsubstitute with coconut cream if vegan
1tablespoon floursubstitute with GF flour as needed
1cupfresh basilfinely chopped
1tablespoonpine nuts
1teaspoonred pepper flakesoptional
1teaspoonfresh lemon zest
1teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
Instructions
Heat a tablespoon of avocado oil on a skillet on medium heat. Then, add finely diced shallots and sauté for about 1 minute until it's aromatic. Then, mince and add 3 cloves of garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds (you can also use 3 teaspoons of minced garlic instead).
Then, add a cup of heavy cream (or coconut cream) along with a tablespoon of flour and allow it to cook down for about 5 minutes until you get a thick creamy sauce that can coat the back of your spoon.
While the cream sauce is cooking down, add a cup of basil along with a tablespoon of pine nuts and three garlic cloves to a heat-proof blender or food processor, and pulse to combine. Add the remaining tablespoon of avocado oil to emulsify this sauce.
Transfer half a cup of the cream sauce from the skillet to the blender and blend it all up into a smooth consistency. Add this back into the skillet, then add a teaspoon of lemon zest, a teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes, and half a teaspoon of pepper to finish the sauce. Serve over your favorite pasta!
Notes
You can also add other herbs while making the cream sauce or substitute the avocado oil with butter - I find that using a neutral oil like avocado oil helps avoid splitting when stored in the fridge.
To reheat the recipe, simple simmer in a skillet. I recommend not reheating in a microwave if you can avoid it!
This cream sauce pairs really well with a number of cheeses - Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and Asiago are all great pairings. It can also be served over a number of pasta dishes, but my favorite is to serve it with tortellini and short pastas!
If you're strapped on time, you can also use premade or storebought pesto to make the sauce (so instead of combining basil, garlic, pine nuts and avocado oil in the blender, you can just use pesto!)