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+ servings
5 from 1 vote
Bowl of Vegan Pesto garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Perfect Vegan Pesto

This vegan pesto is perfect for pasta, pizzas, salads and more! It whips up in minutes and requires only six ingredients to make.

Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Amierican, Italian
Servings: 8
Calories: 140 kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz
Ingredients
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste (I use ¾ teaspoon)
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup olive oil, divided (Note 1)
Instructions
  1. Place the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and ¼ cup of olive oil into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade.

  2. Blend the ingredients to a thick paste, then begin drizzling in the remaining olive oil, adding it just until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

  3. Taste-test the pesto and adjust any seasonings to taste.

  4. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes
  1. You can replace up to half of the oil with water if you'd like to reduce the fat content. This will make your pesto more watery, but it will still taste great.
  2. Recipe makes about 1 cup of pesto.
Nutrition Facts
Perfect Vegan Pesto
Amount Per Serving (2 tablespoons)
Calories 140 Calories from Fat 140
% Daily Value*
Fat 15.6g24%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Sodium 148mg6%
Potassium 50mg1%
Carbohydrates 1.1g0%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 0.2g0%
Protein 0.9g2%
Calcium 14mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.