Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roast all walnuts on a baking sheet until fragrant and browned. This will happen quickly (5-10 minutes), so keep an eye on them! Alternatively, roast in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned. Remove and set aside when done to cool.

Set a large pot of salted water to boil.

In a food processor or high speed blender, combine roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, nutritional yeast, kosher salt, and lemon juice. Add ¾ of the cooled roasted walnuts. With food processor running, stream in olive oil until a very loose consistency is reached. These olive oil measurements are not exact, just use enough so that a thick and smooth sauce emulsifies in the processor bowl.

Meanwhile, prepare your cheesy breadcrumbs by adding breadcrumbs, lemon zest, garlic, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt to a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring, until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.

Once pasta water is boiling, cook for desired time and drain. Rinse with water after draining to remove any excess starch. Add pasta to sauce in a large bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs to serve, remaining ¼ cup walnuts, and garnish with basil and any optional toppings. Serve hot or cold!