This 10-minute vegan pesto has all the classic and punchy flavor of the Italian sauce, but none of the dairy. To make pesto without cheese, I substitute both nutritional yeast and light miso for a bit of umami and a hint of funk. The miso is also naturally salty, so it helps to season this vegan pesto recipe nicely. I have a bunch of recipes that call for this sauce, like my Skillet Lasagna and plenty of other vegan pasta dinners. You just need 10 minutes of prep time and a food processor.
I like to go classic with a vegan basil pesto. Other greens are great in certain contexts, but basil is the most versatile from my kitchen cooking experience. My base of choice is a 50/50 mix of pine nuts and walnuts. Pine nuts are typical, but also super expensive. I find that the buttery flavor of walnuts is complimentary. Olive oil is such a crucial ingredient as well, so I recommend using one that you really love the flavor of on its own.
You can use other leafy herbs in place of the basil for a totally different vibe that isn’t at all traditional. I like a mix of parsley and mint for certain dishes. Kale or spinach pesto is fun to make as well! Pistachios or almonds work great in place of the pine nut/walnut mixture. I prefer nuts that are more “meaty” for pesto. Lastly, for a vegan pesto with no nuts, look to toasted sunflower seeds!
How to store and freeze:
- As soon as you’re done mixing in the food processor, transfer pesto to a lidded glass jar. Tap the jar on the counter a few times to get rid of air bubbles. Then pour a thin film of olive oil on top to prevent browning. Close the lid on top and store in the fridge. The pesto lasts like this for up to a week.
- TO freeze, follow the same steps that you would for the fridge, including the film of oil on top, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
I really hope that you’ll try my vegan pesto recipe! I am fully convinced that the miso makes a huge difference. Even as a person who loves nutritional yeast, I think too much of it can be quite heavy and take away from the fragrant basil. In this recipe, the miso helps us keep that perfect savory balance with just a smaller amount of nutritional yeast.
10-Minute Vegan Pesto
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon light miso
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ⅓ – ½ cup olive oil, plus extra
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Equipment
Notes
- Pesto has so few ingredients, so I like to ensure that I really enjoy the flavour of the olive oil that I’m using and I also use the freshest basil I can find.
- You can substitute the pine nut/walnut combination with almonds, sunflower seeds, or pistachios. I tend to prefer “meatier” nuts/seeds in pesto (as opposed to creamier ones like cashews or macadamias)
- A handful of baby spinach in with the basil makes the pesto extra green without adjusting the flavour at all.
- If I have an extra minute, I will blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 20 seconds and then plunge them in an ice bath. From here, I gently squeeze out the excess moisture and proceed with the recipe. This extra step gives you extra, EXTRA green pesto.
Instructions
- Place the pine nuts and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the "S" blade. Pulse the nuts until they are a coarse, meal-like consistency.
- To the food processor, add the garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, miso, salt, and pepper. Pulse until garlic is finely chopped.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula. Then, add the basil all at once. Pulse until the basil is finely chopped.
- Turn the motor on and drizzle the olive oil in through the feed tube. I like my pesto a bit more saucy and fluid, so I use the full ½ cup. Once you have the consistency you like, stop the motor.
- Add the lemon juice to the pesto and give it a little stir. Taste the pesto and adjust the seasoning if necessary (more salt, lemon etc).
- Transfer the vegan pesto to a sealable jar. Bang the jar on the counter a few times to settle the air bubbles. Pour a thin layer of olive oil on top of the surface (to prevent browning). Close the lid on top and keep in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze the pesto for up to 6 months.
I was about to buy TJ’s vegan pesto (which I don’t really like) when I realized I could probably make my own. Thank you for this recipe, especially the notes! I used walnuts and sunflower seeds (what I had on hand) and I also added a handful of spinach for color. So easy and delicious! I can’t wait to make it with fresh summer basil (vs the grocery store basil I used today)!