Delish Fresh Basil Vegan Pesto

This is that gloriously green, bright, silky pesto that makes pasta taste like an Italian summer vacation… minus the jet lag. It’s classic basil pesto gone fully plant-based—no cheese, just creamy olive oil, toasty nuts, punchy garlic, lemon, and a little nutritional yeast for that nutty-parm vibe. It takes 10 minutes, a food processor, and a handful of herbs you forgot were getting wild on the windowsill.

My husband calls this “green sauce magic” and my kid eats it with a spoon like it’s yogurt, which I am… choosing not to question. We toss it with hot pasta on busy weeknights, smear it on grilled sourdough with tomatoes when we’re pretending to be fancy, and whisk it with a little pasta water for a quick, glossy sauce that clings to everything. I’ve also been known to stir a spoonful into soup at lunch because sometimes a tired bowl just needs basil confetti.

How to Make It

Grab your food processor. Toss in 2 packed cups basil leaves, 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts, 2 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Pulse it until it looks like a chunky green confetti situation.

Now, with the machine running, stream in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Scrape down the sides—because the corners hoard all the good stuff—and blitz again. If it’s thick like spackle, add 1–2 tablespoons cold water to loosen. If you like a little heat, pinch in red pepper flakes.

Taste it. If it’s flat, add a pinch of salt. If it’s sharp, add a tiny splash more oil. If it’s bitter, a squeeze more lemon usually balances it. Ready in 10 minutes. Makes about 1 cup, enough for 12 ounces of pasta if you thin it with a little pasta water.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Fresh Basil: Grab tender leaves; skip the woody stems. If your basil is flowering, it can taste bitter—mix in some baby spinach to mellow it out.
– Pine Nuts or Walnuts: Toast lightly for that warm, buttery flavor. Burnt nuts ruin everything; pull them as soon as they smell nutty.
– Garlic: Raw garlic is spicy; one clove is friendly, two is “hello, I’m garlic.” If you hate the bite, microplane it or blanch the cloves for 30 seconds.
– Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use something you’d happily dip bread in. Super peppery oils can take over—blend and taste before adding more.
– Nutritional Yeast: Gives the cheesy, savory note without dairy. Start with 3 tablespoons; add a fourth if you want more oomph.
– Lemon Juice: Keeps it bright and green. A little zest is lovely if you’re that person (I am that person).
– Kosher Salt & Pepper: Salt wakes up basil like coffee wakes up me. Pepper for a little background hum.
– Water: Sounds weird, but a tablespoon or two makes it saucy without drowning it in oil.
– Red Pepper Flakes: Optional kick. Go light if serving kids; add at the table for spice fiends.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat 3–4 minutes until fragrant; cool.
2. Pulse basil, cooled nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
3. Stream in olive oil with the motor running until smooth and glossy.
4. Scrape down sides and pulse; add 1–2 tablespoons cold water if needed to loosen.
5. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or oil; add red pepper flakes if you like heat.
6. Toss with hot pasta plus a splash of pasta water, or spoon over literally everything.

What to Serve It With

– Hot pasta or gnocchi (save that starchy water—gold).
– Smeared on toast with sliced tomatoes and flaky salt.
– Dolloped on roasted potatoes, asparagus, or grilled zucchini.
– Swirled on pizza instead of red sauce.
– Mixed with a little mayo or hummus for a fast sandwich spread.
– Thinned with more lemon and oil as a vibrant salad dressing.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t over-blend or it can turn muddy and weirdly bitter. Short pulses, then a quick whiz while adding oil.
– If it tastes harsh, your garlic is probably bossy—add a splash more lemon and oil, or blanch the garlic next time.
– Too thick? Water, not more oil. Two tablespoons can change your life.
– Keep it green by adding lemon and avoiding hot pans until you’re serving.
– Taste your oil before you commit; some bottles scream pepper and hijack the sauce.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge: Pack into a jar, smooth the top, and pour a thin layer of olive oil over it to keep the air out. It stays bright for 4–5 days.
Freezer: Spoon into an ice cube tray, freeze, then pop cubes into a bag. Use straight from frozen in hot pasta or thaw overnight.
Cold straight from the fridge? Totally delicious on toast or stirred into quinoa. Breakfast pesto eggs on toast? Yes, I said breakfast. No shame.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Nut-free: Use toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Different, still amazing.
– Herb mix: Sub in half baby spinach or kale for milder, budget-friendly green goodness.
– Citrus swap: Lime works in a pinch; it’s brighter and slightly floral.
– No nutritional yeast: Add extra toasted nuts and a pinch of white miso for umami.
– Oil options: A mild EVOO tastes best; half EVOO + half neutral oil is fine if your bottle is intense.
– Add-ins: Avocado for extra creaminess, or a handful of parsley for a fresher edge.
– What doesn’t work: Dried basil (nope) or garlic powder (flat). Fresh is the whole point.

Write me the frequently asked questions and answers Delish Fresh Basil Vegan Pesto in the same way as the example below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Fresh Basil Vegan Pesto

Bright, herby vegan pesto bursting with fresh basil, garlic, lemon, and nutty notes from pine nuts and nutritional yeast. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or drizzling over roasted veggies.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• ▢ 0.33 cups pine nuts walnuts work too
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic use 1 clove for milder flavor
• ▢ 0.25 cups nutritional yeast adds cheesy flavor
• ▢ 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cold water as needed to thin

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Rinse and thoroughly dry the basil leaves to prevent a watery pesto.
• In a food processor, add pine nuts, garlic, and kosher salt. Pulse until finely chopped.
• Add basil and nutritional yeast. Pulse in short bursts until the basil is broken down and mixture looks coarse.
• With the processor running, slowly stream in olive oil and lemon juice until creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
• Adjust seasoning with black pepper and more salt if needed. If too thick, pulse in cold water a little at a time to reach desired consistency.
• Serve right away or transfer to a jar, smooth the top, and cover with a thin layer of olive oil to keep green. Refrigerate.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months (ice cube tray works great). For nut-free, sub sunflower seeds. For extra brightness, add 0.5 teaspoon lemon zest. Toss with hot pasta, spread on sandwiches, or drizzle over grilled veggies.