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Vegan Basil Pesto
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5 from 19 votes

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
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 179kcal

Ingredients

  • 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

Instructions

  • 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.

Nutrition

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