Vegan Basil Pesto
This vegan basil pesto tastes tastes rich and cheesy, just like the traditional version. You need six ingredients, including garlic, lemon juice and fresh basil, the star of the recipe, to make a jar of this classic Italian pasta sauce.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 183kcal
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves (packed. Use sweet basil, also called Italian basil or Genovese basil.)
- ½ cup nuts (lightly toasted. You can use pine nuts, which are more traditional, cashews, walnuts or pecans. If nut-free, substitute with pumpkin seeds)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or white miso or vegan cashew parmesan--recipe in notes below)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 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)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
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. Add more olive oil if needed to keep the blades moving. Check seasoning and add more ground black pepper and salt if needed.
Notes
Storage: Freeze the vegan pesto in an airtight jar for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the pesto for up to four months. Thaw before using.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.04g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg