Vegan Basil Pesto
This homemade vegan Basil Pesto is one of the quickest , easiest and most versatile Italian sauces which is incredibly flavorful and ready in just few minutes. Homemade pesto taste so much better than store bought jars and that’s the reason I always make pesto at home. This pesto can make any meal flavorful. It can be used as pasta sauce, sandwich spread, turn it into a salad dressing or dollop over pizza or roasted vegetables! This pesto freezes well for months so you can always have some in freezer for easy weeknight dinners.
Most commercially available pesto contains Parmesan cheese which is made with animal rennet , hence they are not vegetarian. In this vegan pesto, Parmesan is replaced with nutritional yeast which is a man made yeast and it is packed with essential B vitamins. It lends a cheesy flavor to the pesto.
Ingredients for Vegan Pesto:
Basil : Fresh Italian basil is a must for classic Basil Pesto. The leaves should be bright green and fresh.
Pine nuts : I used Pine nuts. You can substitute with roasted almonds or sun flower seeds for a nut free option.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives a punchy flavor to pesto. However, the garlic doesnt get cooked in pesto so start slow with 1 clove or it might over power the flavor of pesto. Then taste and add more if needed.
Nutritional Yeast: It gives a nutty and cheesy flavor to Pesto. You can also use vegan Parmesan.
Olive oil: Use good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Lemon juice: It prevents the discoloration of basil and lends a zesty flavor to Pesto.
Salt and black pepper : to taste
Vegan Basil Pesto (Pesto Verde)
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Fresh basil leaves tightly packed
- ¼ Cup Pine nuts
- 2 Garlic cloves peeled
- 3-4 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- ¼ Cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Continue pulsing until a thick paste forms—keep it chunky for texture or blend smoother if you prefer.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- Enjoy!!
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