Easy Vegan Walnut Pesto (dairy-free)
This delicious vegan walnut pesto tastes just like traditional pesto without the parmesan cheese or pine nuts! Made from six simple ingredients, have this vegan pesto recipe ready in less than 5 minutes!
Equipment
- Blender or High Speed Food Processor
Ingredients
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan shreds or grated
- ½ cup walnuts
- Salt + Pepper for taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a high speed food processor and blend until smooth, wiping the sides every 30 seconds. *If you prefer a dripper pesto, add ¼-1/2 cup more of olive oil.
Notes
Make sure to roughly chop the basil or it will stick to the blades.
STORAGE
The wonderful thing about this pesto is that there are many ways to store it! It stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It also freezes really well. I like to freeze it using ice cube trays to make frozen pesto cubes! When ready to use, gently heat the frozen cubes in a sauce pan on the stove top or in a microwave safe container, heating at 30 second bursts.
WAYS TO USE IT
There are so many ways to use this vegan pesto sauce, here are some of my favorites
-Pesto Pasta. Mix ½ cup of the pesto sauce with ½ lb of pasta. If you prefer it to be thinner, reserve 2-3 tbsp of pasta water and mix it in with the pasta and pesto.
-Creamy Pesto Pasta. While pesto pasta is delicious, sometimes it is nice to make it creamy! Mix ½ cup of pesto, ½ cup of vegan heavy cream or coconut cream and the pasta for a creamier pasta.
-Pasta Salad. I love making vegan tortellini salad with pesto sauce! You can also scoop 1-2 tbsp of this pesto into pasta salad to give it a flavor boost.
-Salad Dressings. Mix 2-3 tbsp of this walnut basil pesto sauce with ½ cup of olive oil and 1 tbsp of vinegar then drizzle on top of salad.
-Dipping Sauce. My favorite way to use pesto, add 1 tbsp of pesto with ½ cup of olive oil and 1 tbsp of balsamic.
-Toast. Toast your favorite bread then top it with this pesto. Top it with tomatoes, vegan eggs, vegan mozzarella and so much more to it! You can also add a layer to your avocado toast.
-Sandwich. Smother this pesto on your favorite sandwich. I like to pair it with leafy greens, roasted veggies, vegan mozzarella and sour dough.
-Pizza. Put this fresh basil walnut pesto on your favorite pizza! Whether you replace the tomato sauce with this sauce or you add dollops on top of the cheese, it is a delicious way to add flavor.
-Roasted Vegetables. Brush this pesto onto your favorite vegetables then roast them! You can also roast your favorite vegetables and dip them in this! I love eating it with roasted cauliflower.
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