This vegan pesto recipe is so fresh, flavorful and delicious, and it is perfect on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, veggies and more!
I’ve made traditional pesto for years, and we love it!
I made this vegan version for my kids, and they did not bat an eyelash. They ate it up, without even realizing it was any different.👌🏻
This would be a fantastic option for anybody who avoids dairy. And it is tasty enough to serve to anybody.
How to make vegan pesto
First, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to.
To make this vegan pesto recipe, you will need the following:
- nutritional yeast
- fresh basil
- garlic cloves
- extra virgin olive oil
- pine nuts
- salt and pepper
Making vegan pesto
Wash, pat dry and trim the fresh basil. I use leaves and stems.
Peel and rough chop the garlic cloves. This helps the food processor and prevents huge chunks of garlic.
Add all ingredients to the food processor, except for the olive oil.
Pulse the food processor about 10 times to start to break down the ingredients.
Remove the lid (while off, not processing!) and scrape the sides of the food processor. Put the lid back on.
Then stream in extra virgin olive oil slowly through the spout while processing (about 30 seconds), until desired consistency (I used about 1/3 cup).
Serve immediately for best results. We love putting our vegan pesto on any shape pasta (farfalle pictured) and fresh tomatoes. *chef’s kiss* YUM! It tastes like summer in a bowl.
I hope y’all enjoy this vegan pesto recipe. Be sure and let me know if you try it!
Storage and leftovers
So how long is pesto good in the refrigerator? 4 to 5 days is the guideline. However, always use common sense! If something smells funky and no longer looks appetizing, please don’t eat it.
A tip for slowing down natural oxidation/ browning: place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, pushed down to touching the top of the pesto. I use the same method for my guacamole as well, and it keeps it green.👌🏻
If the pesto is already mixed into pasta or into another dish, don’t worry about it.
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Vegan Pesto Recipe
When you learn how to make pesto, you may start put it on everything. This vegan pesto is great with pasta, veggie, pizza, sandwiches and so much more.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cups basil (washed, mine was 22 grams on a food scale)
- 2 cloves fresh garlic (medium cloves)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (more or less, depending on preferred texture)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt (I would use half then add the rest to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
-
Wash, pat dry and trim the fresh basil. I use leaves and stems.
-
Peel and rough chop the garlic cloves. This helps the food processor and prevents huge chunks of garlic.
-
Add all ingredients to the food processor, except for the olive oil,
-
Pulse the food processor about 10 times to start to break down the ingredients.
- Remove the lid (while off, not processing!) and scrape the sides of the food processor. Put the lid back on.
-
Stream in extra virgin olive oil slowly through the spout while processing (about 30 seconds), until desired consistency (I used about 1/3 cup).
- Serve immediately for best results.
Recipe Notes
My batch makes about 3/4 cup of pesto. Each serving is approximately 1.5 Tablespoons.
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
One batch is just enough to coat one pound of pasta.
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