Vegan Pesto
Total Time
5 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Rating
5 out of 5 stars
(41)
Ingredients
4 servings
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts or pepitas
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for a smoother pesto
- Optional: Nutritional yeast
- Optional: Capers
- Optional: Sun-dried tomatoes
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Preparation
Step 1
In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped.
Step 2
Add the basil and pulse until combined.
Step 3
With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined.
Step 4
For extra cheesy flavor, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast. For brinier flavor, add 2 teaspoons capers. For more umami, add 2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Briefly pulse to combine. Taste and adjust, adding more nutritional yeast, capers, or sun-dried tomatoes, as desired. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.
Step 5
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Chef's notes
Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze the pesto in ice cube trays. Then, transfer the pesto cubes to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
