Pesto is one of the best flavors- its herby from the basil, rich from the pine nuts and olive oil and easily elevates anything its added to. This is one of the best sauces to have in your arsenal and it’s super easy! Everything goes in the food processor and boom- pesto!
Ingredient Notes
Nutritional Yeast– this has a “cheesy” flavor and helps in the replacement of the cheese from traditional basil pesto
Pine Nuts– this is a traditional ingredient. I like the “nuttiness” this amount adds, but feel free to reduce to ⅓ cup. You can also sub another nut like walnuts if you don’t have pine nuts. Additionally, seeds like hemp or pepitas can be used for nut allergies.
Lemon Juice– this is not a traditional ingredient for non-vegan pesto but I find it needs the acidity
FAQ
Can pesto be frozen?
Yes! It freezes really well and in fact, I love to make a big batch and keep this in the freezer for whenever I need it.
How long does it last?
It should stay fresh for about 3 days. If you’re not using it after 3 days, put the rest in the freezer in an airtight container.
What can pesto be used for?
So. Many. Things. Some good uses for fresh pesto are on pasta as a sauce, on pizza as either a pizza sauce or dolloped on top with some roasted tomatoes. You can use it in a grain bowl as a condiment, or put a scoop in a salad. I love to make lasagna rolls with pesto and vegan ricotta or slathered on bread as an appetizer. Or even a dollop on soup! The possibilities are really endless.
Is pesto vegan?
Traditional pesto is not, its typically made with cheese such as parmesan. However with the substitution of nutritional yeast and lemon juice, its just as good as traditional pesto and you’d honestly never know the difference by tasting it!
Can another nut/seed be used instead of pine nuts?
Absolutely! You can definitely sub walnuts as I have done many times. You can also use a seed such as hemp or pepitas for allergies.
Recipe
Recipe
The Best Vegan Pesto
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ⅔ cup pine nuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor.
- Pulse several times to incorporate everything.
- Turn food processor to "on" and slowly add olive oil as it's running, scraping sides as needed.
- Taste for seasonings, otherwise, its done!
