What is vegan pesto made of?

Vegan pestos are typically made with nuts like almonds, pinenuts, or walnuts. One or more of these nuts are combined with fresh basil, lemon, garlic, and some type of liquid like water or olive oil. We use water in our recipe because it lowers the fat and calorie density between 50 to 100 calories per serving—aiding in weight loss.

What is not vegan about pesto?

Most traditional pesto recipes call for cheese—parmesan or pecorino romano—which is not vegan. If you want a cheesy flavor, and keep it vegan, we recommend adding some nutritional yeast .

Is vegan pesto healthier than regular pesto?

As a nutritionist and food blogger, this vegan pesto recipe is healthier than others. The main reasons are: (1) this recipe has no dietary cholesterol found in traditional pesto (because of the cheese); and (2) we use water instead of oil, keeping the overall fat content down. If you want to learn more about oil, check out this article Is Olive Oil Healthy ?

Vegan Almond Pesto

Name: Vegan Almond Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw almonds; 1 cup fresh basil, packed; 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped; 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice; 3-4 Tbsp water; Salt to taste (I used 1/4 tsp); 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper for heat; 1 to 2 tsp nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor

Description

This yummy vegan almond pesto sauce is gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free, and can be prepared in only 5 minutes.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup fresh basil, packed
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3-4 Tbsp water
Salt to taste (I used 1/4 tsp)

Optional additions

1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper for heat
1 to 2 tsp nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor

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Instructions

Put raw almonds, fresh basil, lemon juice, roughly chopped garlic, and water into a blender and blend until smooth. I used a Nutribullet for this pesto sauce, which turned out great. If it's too stiff, add another tablespoon of water to thin it out. Salt to taste (I used 1/4 teaspoon). If you like things spicy, add some crushed red pepper. If you like it "cheesy," add nutritional yeast.

Pesto keeps well in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

EQUIPMENT / SUPPLIES

Measuring cup
Knife
Cutting board
Blender

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Sauces
Method: Blender
Cuisine: Italian

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