Vegan Pesto Recipe - Pesto for Pennies (2024)

Tired of hunting for the perfect vegan pesto (nut free) in the grocery store? Look no further. My creamy and delicious pesto recipe is vegan, nut allergy friendly, gluten free and simple to make. With 7 ingredients and just 15 minutes, you will have an amazing pesto that comes out right every single time.

Nothing tastes better than homemade pesto! Here is a bit of history about this amazing sauce. Since the word, Pesto, is a derivative of the Italian word for ‘pounded’, it was originally made with mortar and pestle. This recipe is updated so you can make it in minimal time and enjoy it for months to come (freezes great). So take out that food processor and let’s go….

Why You Should Make Your Own Vegan Pesto

Pesto is quite pricey to buy in the grocery store. Also, it is hard to find a nut free pesto. However, it is extremely inexpensive to make my vegan pesto recipe. So whether you have an abundance of fragrant basil growing in your garden, purchase it fresh from the grocery store or farmer’s market, basil is really a bargain.

Nut free pesto is allergy friendly and really really good. Use pumpkin seeds which are not tree nuts. The nuttiness of the pumpkin seed (pepitas) is just right, so the taste is not compromised. I prefer my seeds raw but they can easily be roasted or purchased roasted.

Using nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese is an easy swap.Nutritional yeast has a cheesy taste and color and is completely different than the yeast you would use as a leavening agent. I buy nutritional yeast with Vitamin B12 to boost my B12 intake.

With homemade pesto, you are able to control the consistency of your sauce. For some recipes you want to make a really smooth sauce and for other dishes a chunky texture is best. A simple extra few seconds with the food processor, and a little extra olive oil or water, will create a creamy vs. chunky texture.

How To Use Your Pesto

I rarely make pizza without starting with a thin layer of pesto. It is definitely one of those hidden tasty ingredients that makes my pizza exceptional.

Pesto with pasta is a traditional and reliable favorite. I like to use different kinds of pasta such as penne, spirals as well as traditional spaghetti or linguini. A healthy pasta-like option and gluten free alternative is to use spaghetti squash or vegetable noodles instead!

Pesto is a fantastic spread as well as an amazing dip. I keep my favorite neighbor’s fridge stocked with pesto, so she can spread it on her morning toast. I also make a well loved appetizer with pesto on bread crisps, topped with sun dried tomatoes. Pesto is a great addition to a tomato sandwich.

Last but not least, if your family is requesting red sauce, simply toss some pesto into the sauce to add a zesty, cheesy garlicky flavor.

How to Make Vegan Pesto Recipe (Nut Free)

1. Trim stems from basil leaves and peel garlic cloves.
2. Add basil, garlic, olive oil. salt, pepper and nutritional yeast in food processor and pulse.
3. Combine pumpkin seeds and pulse.
4. Use additional oil or water until desired texture

Tips/RecipeNotes

• This recipe makes 1 ½ cups of pesto.
• For a low budget recipe nut allergy friendly recipe without compromising the nutty flavor, I use pumpkin seeds, pepitas These seeds can be used either raw or you can roast them.Make sure not to burn the seeds if roasting, because the flavor of your pesto will then be bitter. Feel free to substitute a different seed of choice if pumpkin seeds are not your thing.
• It is better to use a food processor vs. a blender to make pesto. You will find it much easier to adjust the consistency with a food processor. Use more oil or just a little water for a creamier texture.
• Nutritional yeast can be purchased in most grocery stores, health food stores, or online. I prefer nutritional yeast with B12 added.
• Pesto can be refrigerated for up to two weeks.
• Pesto is perfect for freezing. I use 1 cup freezer bags, but other freezer options are air-tight freezer containers or ice cube trays. Freezer bags and freezer containers will last up to nine months in the freezer. Ice cube trays will last up to three months in the freezer.

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