One thing you should always have in your kitchen arsenal —> basil pesto. And if you’re vegan, dairy-free, or nut free —> this Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto.
A batch of Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto is easily one of the most versatile condiments you can have around. It’s creamy, savory, and oh-so decadent. This simple sauce can take even the most boring dish up a notch. In our house, it’s easy to use it multiple times a week. While I can’t complain about the pesto/pasta combination (heck, who doesn’t want a bowl of tortellini covered in savory pesto), it is good for more than just pasta. Try it as:
- Pasta Sauce
- Chicken Marinade
- Sandwich Spread
- Salad Dressing
- Pizza Sauce
- Bread/Vegetable Dip
You can literally do a thousand things with this Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto. And if that list isn’t long enough, I promise I can get you some more ideas. But as a warning, you’ll probably need to make a double batch! I’m telling you, a single batch doesn’t go very far when you put it on everything. As a rule of thumb, you should plan to make a double batch no matter what! Don’t worry about making too much, store the extras in the freezer for when you need a fresh batch!
This Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto strays from the traditional pesto mold just a bit. While traditional basil pesto uses fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, we made a few substitutions to make it vegan, dairy-free, and nut-free. In this recipe, we substitute the savory, umami flavor of parmesan for nutritional yeast and the earthy, nutty flavor of pine nuts for sunflower seeds. Furthermore, I tried to take the nutrition up a notch but adding in a handful of spinach. Even with the substitutions, this recipe doesn’t disappoint!
Are you ready to add some killer flavor to your meals this week? Don’t be afraid to put this stuff on everything! If you mix up our Homemade Vegan Basil Pesto, don’t forget to tag a snapshot with #stephanieleenutrition on Instagram. I’d love to share what you whip up! Happy eating xo!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 2 cups basil leaves, tightly packed
- 1 cup spinach, tightly packed
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 4 large cloves garlic
- juice of half lemon
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- water
Ingredients
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- Add basil, spinach, sunflower seeds, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and olive oil to a blender or food processor. Process until combined, the pesto should still have some texture.
- Scrape down the sides as needed. Then add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you get the desired consistency.
