Just like this hearty marinara sauce, this pesto without pine nuts and parmesan has loads of flavor and is so simple to make and versatile. This delicious and versatile condiment tastes as good on a piece of toast as it does with pasta! The best part? It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks! This recipe was born quite by an accident. It was a weeknight during the month of Veganuary, 2021. We were all craving some cheese-free pesto pasta. I did not have the usual ingredients in my pantry and so I put in whatever I had in my store cupboard! I could not have imagined by the farthest stretch of my imagination that we would all fall in love with this recipe as much as we did! I remember being so excited and quickly noting down the ingredients that I has thrown together so that I could make it again. Ever since this recipe has been made on repeat and perfected along the way. I am so excited to be sharing this recipe with you! As per my daughters, this recipe is for keeps! Have you made pesto before? How do you make it? Do let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you - Padma
Ingredients for the vegan pesto recipe
What is vegan pesto made of? this is a question that might pop into your head if you have never made a cheeseless pesto recipe before. Fret not! This recipe is so full of flavors that you will not miss the cheese even for a bit! Please check the recipe card for quantities. Basil: Use fresh basil - stems and leaves. The stems have SO much flavor - you don’t want to bin all that flavor! Oil: Extra virgin olive oil only please! For the flavor and silky smooth texture, this is non-negotiable. Green olives or Black olives?: I say green. As you may have noted, I have not used lemon juice in this recipe. The sourness of this pesto comes mainly from the olives. Black olives are not sour. Nuts: I use both almonds and brazil nuts in this recipe. Brazil nuts are powerhouse of nutrition, and they are the creamiest of all the nuts out there! Spice: I use red chili flakes for their mellow warmth. Black peppercorns add a delicious “kick” and the jalapeno for the tangy spice. If you are not a fan of too much spice, then feel free to skip the red chili flakes and jalapenos or just reduce the quantities to suit your palate. Jalapenos: I use the ones that are sliced and in brine. Here in the UK fresh jalapenos are a rarity. If you have them where you are, please use those. Note: There are 3 sources of spice here - black peppercorns, jalapenos, and red chili flakes. You may wonder if this is too much spice. I assure you it is not! Each of the ingredients here brings a different kind of heat to this dish which balances beautifully in the end with the nuts and olive oil. If, however, you are not a fan of spice, feel free to skip either one or both - jalapenos and red chili flakes (though I recommend that you do not).
How to make vegan pesto
Let’s make this homemade pesto. It is easy! All you need is a food processor/blender for grinding and a glass jar to store it.
Step 1: Measure all ingredients.
Step 2: Peel and chop the garlic. Chop the nuts - this will make grinding them easy.
Step 3: Place the chopped nuts, garlic, and black peppercorns in the food processor jar. Grind them till they are finely powdered.
Step 4: Now add the olives, jalapenos, and salt. Grind them to a smooth paste.
The moisture from the olives and the jalapenos, combined with the salt will help.
Step 5: The mixture in the jar should be a smooth paste by now. At this stage, add in the basil - leaves and stems, chili flakes, and olive oil. Now grind these in short bursts. The idea here is to not grind the basil and chili flakes smooth - you should see specks of green and red. This gives the pesto a lovely texture.
Voila! The pesto is ready. Store it in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store it in the fridge and this will keep it fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Pro-tip for the most amazing homemade pesto without cheese
I have made this recipe several times and these measurements work perfectly for me. You may find that tweaking the quantities of certain ingredients will work best for your palate. For example, if you are an ardent fan of garlic and want this pesto to be more garlicky, add in 1 or 2 more cloves of garlic. You may find that the three types of spices that I have used in this recipe are a bit much for your taste. If that is the case, use any one or two sources of heat here. Maybe only black peppercorns. Or a combination of black pepper and red chili flakes and skip the jalapeno entirely. The good thing about pesto is that it is a forgiving dish. You can add a bit of this and tweak the quantity of that and it will still taste good.
Notes and substitutions
If you do not have basil, be a bit adventurous and try making this pesto with spinach, coriander, or parsley - or a combination of all/ some.
Although the traditionalists among us will scorn us, pesto with other nuts tastes so good! I have used brazil nuts and almonds in this recipe. These are some other nuts that do very well in pesto - cashew, walnuts, and macadamia nuts or make a nut-free pesto if nuts are not your favorite things.
You can add your favorite vegan cheese and amp up the umami flavor of this pesto. You can also add nutritional yeast which will give a cheese-like flavor but without the cheese. If you are ok with dairy, then add in some hard cheese (parmesan, preferably).
Serving suggestions
With pasta (of course!). I love adding broccoli or broccolini (tender stem broccoli) and a little bit of cheese to my pesto pasta. Mixed in with grain-free pasta and served with beetroot raita and creamy broccoli as part of a grain-free meal. Some other ways to enjoy this delicious condiment (although, the sky is the limit!)
On a piece of toast - I love it, especially, on sourdough.
Add a dollop of it to your favorite soup for that extra savouriness. I love adding it to my vegan potato soup.
Use it as a sauce on your homemade pizza.
Storing instructions
This pesto is perfect as a make-ahead sauce. Stored in a clean, glass jar and in the fridge, this pesto will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. A few weeks ago I was so excited to have got a LOT of fresh basil in a deal. I made a big batch of this easy vegan pesto and used it in so many ways! Delicious! My observation: I find that vegan pesto stays fresh longer than pesto that has cheese in it. I think that the cheese causes it to spoil faster. Have you also observed this? Do let me know. If you have made this pesto recipe vegan without nutritional yeast, please take a moment to leave a comment and /or a rating below. This will make me super happy and motivate me to create more good content for you! xx Padma
📖 Recipe
Disclosure: The nutritional information is calculated using an online calculator and is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionists’ advice. Changing the quantities and cooking technique will alter the nutritional calculations.
