Simple Vegan Pesto Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Blend

by: Gena Hamshaw

December17,2021

4.4

12 Ratings

  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • makes 1 heaping cup

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Author Notes

This pesto is so creamy and flavorful, you'd never guess that it's dairy-free. The secret ingredient is nutritional yeast, which adds a Parmesan-like cheesiness. Toss this with hot pasta, spread it on sandwiches, or dollop it on grilled vegetables or thickly sliced summer tomatoes. —Gena Hamshaw

Test Kitchen Notes

One of the main ingredients in a classic pesto alla genovese is grated cheese (like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano), which adds creaminess, saltiness, and lots of umami. Knowing this, it'd be easy to assume that vegan (aka, cheese-free) pesto isn't possible or would taste bad—but it's very possible and very good. This recipe here proves it. Just leave it to food blogger Gena Hamshaw (she wrote our "Vegan" cookbook!) to develop a recipe that's dairy-free and just as flavorful as the original. A generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil and walnuts (or pine nuts) bring lots of fatty richness, while nutritional yeast acts as an A+ cheese substitute.

If you're wondering what the heck nutritional yeast is—it's a nutrient-dense food seasoning that you'll find in all sorts of vegan (and non-vegan) recipes for its uncanny cheesiness. Here, it's a total game-changer, and we have a feeling once you buy a jar, you won't be able to stop yourself from sprinkling it on popcorn and baked potatoes, stirring it into veggie dips and soups, and more. You'll definitely find yourself reaching for it for snacks, pasta, the possibilities are endless. The other ingredients are simple and humble, featuring of course fresh basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon juice, and the pesto comes together super quickly thanks to using a food processor. Feel free to experiment with the ratios (adding more or less garlic, more or less oil, etc.) until your favorite consistency is reached. Trust us—you won't miss the cheese! —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Watch This Recipe

Simple VeganPesto

Ingredients
  • 2 cupstightly packed basil
  • 1/2 cupwalnuts or pine nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cupextra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoonsnutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoonfresh lemon juice
  • 1 pinchsea salt and freshly ground pepper, plus more
Directions
  1. In a food processor fitted with the S blade, pulse the basil, walnuts, and garlic until coarsely ground.
  2. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil in a thin stream. Add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse a few more times to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
  3. Do Ahead: The pesto can be made 5 days ahead. Tightly seal in an airtight container and chill. Top with a layer of olive oil to decrease browning.

Tags:

  • Condiment/Spread
  • American
  • Italian
  • Vegetable
  • Basil
  • Pine Nut
  • Garlic
  • Walnut
  • Blend
  • Quick and Easy
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian

Popular on Food52

107 Reviews

Tanya F. January 15, 2023

I LOVE this pesto! I cannot even count the number of times I've made this. I freeze the extra in an ice cube tray so I have individual portions when needed. I put it on everything...fish, veggies, avo toast. I love cheese, but do not miss it at all in this recipe.

suziqcu July 29, 2022

I love this pesto and it's so versatile. I used walnuts and pistachios and would recommend! Running low on basil? Add some baby spinach!

patw February 8, 2022

We love this pesto. We have a nut allergy so regularly substitute a combination of pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, and hemp seeds (sometimes all 3). We have also made this with arugula instead of basil and it was fantastic.

Linda D. September 14, 2021

So good! Thank you, and vegan to boot! And thanks to all the reviewers. Your suggestions helped!

Brigitte B. September 13, 2020

There isn’t many recipes I don’t like on this wonderful website , but this recipe has way to much oil . After I was done it basically tasted to oily ..way to oily I added more basil 1 garlic a few more nuts and more lemon juice . It’s an easy fix for a season cook. But if you need to follow a recipe decrease the oil amount with 1/3 of a cup if you like lemony which I do because it gives more flavor you can add 1 more table spoon ...taste has you go !

Kim S. May 20, 2019

This pesto came out very well. I ended up adding about another 1/4 cup of walnuts since I may have added a little too much basil. It's a wonderful pesto and glad to have found it. The nutritional yeast is a great substitute for the parmesan cheese. Thank you!

Lori W. March 3, 2019

This was so good. My whole family enjoyed it even the non vegans. I did however add more olive oil because I wanted it to duplicate our restaurant version. Thank you!

Jessica August 24, 2018

What a great recipe. I'm raw vegan and really wanted to explore how to make pesto without Parmesan. The only thing was I had to drizzle a little water while blending to get it all puréed. Still it has great consistency and I poured it over my salad. Yum!

carol B. July 22, 2018

Great flavor and color, but the pesto separated. I had to add oil (slow drizzle) before all was mixed up due to lack of no fluid. How do people manage that? Smaller batches I guess. . I did this in my Vitamix. Maybe will try doing it next time in CuisineArt. Comments/suggetions?

Jennifer D. July 4, 2018

This is delicious! I am cutting back on superfluous dairy; I don’t miss the cheese at all in this. I made mine in the blender (my only food processor type thing is a mini chopper), which was fiddly, but manageable. I did my nuts/garlic in two batches, scraped it out, followed by the basil in batches. I layered everything back into the pitcher then proceeded with the recipe as written (adding a bit more XVOO, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, then blending a final time). The secret to not wasting ANY pesto is to use a narrow bladed silicone spatula to scrape every last bit out. If you don’t mind all that fiddliness, then don’t bother buying a food processor (I never used my old one and it didn’t make the cut when we moved).

Lmp March 7, 2018

I wanted to love this but sadly, after following the recipe mostly to a tee, this pesto came out SO bitter. Could it have been the walnuts? Even after adding parsley and more olive oil, I had to throw it out. 😢

SD July 17, 2018

Probably. Try it with pine nuts. Always taste nuts before adding.

plantasia August 9, 2018

you probably added "brewers yeast" instead of "nutritional yest" brewers yeast is naturally very bitter while nutritional yeast is cheesy. :)

Mari O. May 30, 2019

If walnuts in particular, but all nuts in general aren't kept from air, light & heat the oils in them oxidize resulting in bitterness. Easiest way to store nuts is in the freezer. Next best is dry canning them and keeping dark & cool.

Rachel September 4, 2017

This is really really really good. Rivals any non-vegan pesto I've ever had. I can't believe how much "cheesy" flavor the nutritional yeast adds. Thanks for the recipe!

Jen August 25, 2017

This is spectacular holy cow! Was just looking for a quick lunch, I didn't know I'd find my new favourite thing! I used cashews instead of pine nuts or walnuts because it's all I had on hand, and it really turned out fantastic! I even skipped the nutritional yeast because I JUST ran out, and it was still super good! Im so impressed! Thank you for this recipe!

Briar R. August 21, 2017

This has been my go-to for years because a bag of nutritional yeast costs way less than good parm and lasts longer, too. Now that I have to be dairy-free, I'm doubly glad to have this recipe up my sleeve.

Jennifer F. July 17, 2017

Delicious, followed recipe exactly and I'm in love with this pesto 😊 I put in on bow tie pasta, so yummy!

Ellie A. July 9, 2017

I didn't have *quite* enough basil, so I supplemented with some parsley and chives. Super yummy! With the nooch, I didn't add any extra salt.

Denise June 17, 2017

Delicious w/ gnocchi! So delicious... I used toasted almonds as my nut, pineapple vinegar as my acid (I didn't have a lemon on hand), and added some red pepper flakes. I don't have a food processor, so I used my Vitamix and lost way too much pesto to the Vitamix, yet...it was so good I must just deal with the wonkiness of the Vitamix again, or perhaps this pesto will finally get me to buy a food processor. : )

Melissa M. May 31, 2017

I tried this last week and it was delicious. I just tried it again and it tastes so strange, almost inedible and doesn't have that bright green colour like last time. The basil is fresh from the garden, could it be the walnuts? Any thoughts?

Marie September 13, 2017

Once it starts to oxidize, it loses its bright flavors. Try freezing batches of leftovers, or making sure the top layer is covered with a bit of olive oil so so o air touches the surface.

RuthAnn May 25, 2017

Oh! Forgot to mention, I always make this pesto when my basil is starting to turn brown. I toss in the stems, too.... lots of flavor hiding in those.

RuthAnn May 25, 2017

This is YUMMY! I substituted toasted walnuts, as pine nuts were too pricey. I used just a few tablespoons of oil. This freezes beautifully. Once you thaw and slather on hot pasta, you could never tell it's been frozen.

Simple Vegan Pesto Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for cheese in pesto? ›

For umami: add miso

“My family has made so many different pestos without cheese,” she says. “I just find that sweet white miso is the best substitute for Parmesan.” Miso Master is her brand of choice because of its mild flavor and aerated texture, which keeps the sauce light and creamy.

Are cashews or almonds better for pesto? ›

Cashew for their creamy texture, and almonds for their flavour.

What is the recipe formula for pesto? ›

The basic ratio is 1:2:2:8 (1 part nuts, 2 parts oil, 2 parts grating cheese, 8 parts leaves or herbs), plus garlic, lemon, and salt and pepper to taste.

What is the best substitute for pine nuts in pesto? ›

Pine nuts in pesto can easily be replaced by other nuts: walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and even sunflower seeds, are all a perfect pine nut replacement.

Can you leave cheese out of pesto? ›

Once you add it, the pesto has enough complexity to make the Parmesan cheese optional, and more often than not, I end up leaving it out. This vegan pesto recipe is a streamlined version of my regular recipe, without the Parmesan cheese.

What is a good substitute for basil in pesto? ›

What Can I Substitute for Basil in Pesto? Basil is the main ingredient in traditional pesto. There are some things that you can substitute basil for in pesto such as spinach, kale, or arugula.

Can I freeze pesto? ›

You can freeze pesto in ice cube trays or in glass jars or other freezer-safe containers. Different methods will yield slightly different results; what works for you will depend on how you plan on storing and using your pesto. Pesto will keep in the freezer for up to six months.

What nuts taste best in pesto? ›

Try Other Nuts or Even Seeds in Place of Pine Nuts

Pistachios, almonds, and walnuts or even seeds like sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin can replace the traditional pine nuts in pesto. Pretty much any edible nut tastes delicious—just make sure to toast and cool the nut before grinding them into the sauce.

Why is supermarket pesto so cheap? ›

Some producers cut corners further by simply using a generic "hard cheese." Oil is another ingredient where huge cost savings can be made. While small producers use the highest-quality extra-virgin olive oil, big producers replace some or all of it with much cheaper sunflower oil.

Why add pasta water to pesto? ›

The salty, starchy pasta water will loosen the pesto enough to make a light sauce over the pasta. Because of its salty, starchy quality, this water will make a more flavorful, thicker final pesto sauce than regular water would.

What kind of basil is best for pesto? ›

Genovese Basil

Also called sweet basil or sweet Genovese, this is the most common variety and what you'll find in those plastic packages at the supermarket. The oval-shaped leaves are about 2-3 inches long and have a strong aroma and peppery flavor. This is the classic choice for pesto, Caprese salad, and pizza.

How to make pesto giada? ›

Instructions
  1. In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. ...
  2. The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Is it worth making your own pesto? ›

Today's homemade basil pesto recipe is my absolute favorite. It's classic, simple, flavorful, and completely fresh. You'll appreciate how easily it comes together and that it tastes infinitely better than store-bought versions. Homemade pesto can be a dip, sauce, or spread and pairs wonderfully with so many flavors.

What makes pesto taste so good? ›

Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.

What can I use instead of cheese in a recipe? ›

The Best Simple Dairy-Free Cheese Substitutes
  1. Cashew Cheese. This simple 2-ingredient sauce made from cashews and lemon juice can be an excellent plant-based soft cheese alternative. ...
  2. Tofu + Salt. ...
  3. Coconut Yogurt, Soy Yoghurt or Almond Yoghurt. ...
  4. Hummus. ...
  5. Avocado. ...
  6. Babaganoush. ...
  7. Olives. ...
  8. Sea Salt Flakes.

Why is there cheese in pesto? ›

Pesto is a versatile sauce that traditionally consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese is the classic choice for pesto and adds a nutty and savory flavor. It's often used in traditional basil pesto recipes.

What is a good substitute for cheese in pasta? ›

Vegan grated cheese alternatives are not uncommon now and there are several basic ingredients you can use to make them, such as:
  • Coconut oil.
  • Potato starch.
  • Peas or pea protein.
  • Soy or tofu.
  • Nuts.
  • Tapioca.
  • Arrowroot.
  • Chickpeas.

Does traditional pesto have cheese? ›

Traditional pesto is a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.

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