Description
This Super Easy Vegan Pesto recipe offers a quick and delicious plant-based alternative to traditional pesto. Made with fresh basil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and olive oil, this vibrant sauce is perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or as a dip. Ready in just 5 minutes using a food processor or blender, it’s a healthy, flavorful condiment that suits vegan diets and adds a fresh burst of flavor to any meal.
Ingredients
Herbs and Vegetables
- 2 cups fresh basil (tightly packed)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ lemon (juiced)
Nuts and Seeds
- ½ cup pine nuts (or raw walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, or hemp seeds)
Seasoning and Others
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast (or vegan parmesan)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (add more if needed)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons water (if needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Prep: Rinse the basil leaves thoroughly under cold water and remove all leaves from the stems. Set the leaves aside to use in the pesto.
- Mix Base Ingredients: Add the pine nuts, garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, and nutritional yeast to a small food processor or blender. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are roughly chopped and combined, forming the base of the pesto.
- Add Basil and Olive Oil: Add the fresh basil leaves to the food processor. Pulse several times while drizzling in the extra virgin olive oil slowly. This helps emulsify the mixture and creates a smooth texture. If the pesto seems too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons of water gradually until your desired consistency is reached. Stop the processor occasionally to scrape down the sides for even blending.
- Adjust Seasoning and Consistency: Taste your pesto and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add more salt if it tastes flat. If the pesto is too acidic from the lemon juice, add extra nutritional yeast to balance flavors. If the pesto is too thick or dry, drizzle in more olive oil or a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Notes
- This recipe is versatile: you can substitute pine nuts with walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, or hemp seeds depending on availability or preference.
- Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy, nutty flavor and is a great vegan alternative to parmesan cheese.
- Use fresh basil for the brightest flavor; older leaves can be bitter.
- The pesto keeps well refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Top with a thin layer of olive oil to help preserve freshness.
- For a nuttier flavor, lightly toast the nuts before blending, but this is optional.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
