Vegan Basil Pesto
This fresh, homemade vegan basil pesto tastes summery and delicious. Stir it into your pasta, drizzle it on a salad, or smear it on a pizza or sandwich for an easy, tasty meal. A soy-free and gluten-free recipe.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 179kcal
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves (packed). Use sweet basil, also called Italian basil.
- ½ cup walnuts (lightly toasted. You can use other nuts like pine nuts, which are more traditional, cashews, and pecans. If nut-free, substitute with pumpkin seeds)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or white miso or vegan cashew parmesan--recipe in notes below)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste (miso is salty, so be sure to check if you need any additional salt in your pesto before adding)
- Juice of ½ lemon
Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor.
With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until you have a coarse but grainy and consistent paste. Check seasoning and add more ground black pepper and salt if needed.
Freeze in an airtight jar for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the pesto for several months and thaw before using.
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.7mg