Simple and delicious vegan pesto!

Pesto makes everything taste better!

Pesto is one of my all-time favorite foods! It seriously makes EVERYTHING taste better! Now, I know what you’re thinking… how can you make pesto without animal products? Well, It can be done, and done well! My kids love it! They said – Mom, this sauce is delicious.. but maybe not put it over couscous next time lol. Couscous isn’t their favorite… My husband and I fully enjoyed it though.

The possibilities are endless

A good pesto sauce can be used in hundreds of meals. I made a grain salad last night with sauteed veggies with a creamy pesto on top…. and it was delish! some of my favorite ways to eat pesto are on pasta salad, zoodles, as a pizza sauce, a yummy dip for bread, baked into bread, as a salad dressing, on a veggie sandwich, etc. The possibilities are endless.

It’s so good for you!

Plus, there are some amazing health benefits to eating pesto! Basil is good for digestion, it’s anti-inflammatory, it fights free-radical activity, it supports liver function and helps detoxify the body, fights depression, and supports a healthy gut! Those are some big claims! So not only does pesto make everything taste better – it’s so good for you!

Cheesy flavor without the cheese

Now you might be wondering how to make pesto without parmesan cheese, because usually, it is an essential ingredient… well, the answer is nutritional yeast, my friend! I love nutritional yeast! It has the most wonderful savory cheesy flavor and added to your pesto recipe works to replace the parmesan cheese.

Another odd substitute… Pinenuts can be hard to find at the moment, so instead, I used walnuts! Did you know you can substitute walnuts in place of pinenuts? And it’s sooo delicious! Plus walnuts are very heart-healthy!

Measure and Dump

I’m a measure and dump kind of girl – or even eyeball it.. which I definitely do from time to time if I’m really confident in a recipe. This recipe, for instance, is a dump everything in and turn on the food processor kind of recipe. After everything is measured and blended, you can check on the consistency of the pesto. Add a little more water if it’s too thick or more walnuts if it’s too watery.
Be sure to use a rubber spatula while blending. Stop periodically and scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor to push the pesto back down to the blade to get an even consistency.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week to be sure your pesto lasts and stays fresh!