A perfectly simple basil pesto recipe made without cheese. Basil pesto brightens up any dish but is perfect on pasta or pizza. This dairy-free pesto uses just a pinch of nutritional yeast to fill the dairy void while letting the star (obviously, the basil) shine!
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Basil pesto is a sauce that originated in northern Italy during the 16th century. After all this time, I think every family has their own version of the perfect pesto, but this is my favorite.
Fresh pesto is ideal at the end of summer when you have a plethora of basil plants. You can freeze it in cubes for use all year round. This is a good thing because most grocery stores don't have a dairy-free option for pesto.
But this vegan pesto sauce still has a cheesy flavor thanks to nutritional yeast. Other than that, it is made with 100% simple ingredients and only takes 5 minutes!
I use it over gluten-free pasta, steamed spaghetti squash, and roasted eggplant but most often just on some fresh garden tomatoes.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Basil- Remove the stems and discard leaves with any brown spots. You can do up to 50/50 with another herb. My favorites are parsley, oregano (the most underutilized fresh herb IMO), and mint. Or do 50/50 basil and spinach.
- Pine Nuts- Use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version. Or to save money, use walnuts, this is what I use in my ramp pesto recipe.
- Nutritional Yeast- This is our "cheese". If you aren't a fan of the flavor you can omit or reduce the quantity.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic- Replace the raw garlic with 3-4 cloves of roasted garlic for a sweeter flavor.
- Lemon Juice- Not every recipe uses lemon but I think it adds brightness.
⏲️How to Make Dairy-Free Pesto
Toast the Pine Nuts
To toast the pine nuts, place them in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat. They are done when they turn golden and start to smell nutty. Shaking the pan frequently will help prevent them from burning.
Blend
The traditional way to make pesto is with a larger mortar and pestle. I prefer the easy way.
Place all the ingredients into your food processor on high speed EXCEPT the olive oil. Give it a few good pulses to break up the basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic.
Only once everything is all minced up can you begin to slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
Blanch the Basil
If you aren't using the pesto right away, you can blanch the basil leaves to preserve the color. This is 100% optional.
Bring a small pot of water to a low boil. Add the fresh basil and stir for 20 to 30 seconds. Move the basil to an ice bath. Cool for 1 minute and then move to a colander to drain.
🥗How to Use Pesto
Tossing your favorite pasta in your homemade pesto is an obvious option. But here are a few more ways I like to use it, starting with fried polenta and eggplant. A dollop of pesto on gluten-free chicken piccata, spread on a roasted veggie sandwich, or use as a dip for roasted tomatoes. Use it on a pasta salad. It can also be a base for a basil vinaigrette.
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📖 Recipe Card
Dairy-Free Pesto (5 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 cups basil leaves remove large stems
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon nutritional yeast
- ¼-1/2 cup olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add pine nuts to a dry saute pan. Heat on medium-low heat until they begin to brown. Shake to prevent burning.¼ cup pine nuts
- Place basil, pine nuts, lemon juice nutritional yeast, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper into a blender or food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds to break up the mixture.3 cups basil leaves, 1 clove garlic, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon nutritional yeast, kosher salt and pepper
- Turn the blender on high and drizzle in ¼ cup of olive oil. Taste for salt and pepper.¼-1/2 cup olive oil
- Additional oil can be added to thin down the dressing. Perfect if making a pasta sauce.
Notes
- Keep leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the pesto in a glass jar with a thin layer of extra olive oil on the top (to prevent any air from getting to it). It will keep in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
- To freeze the pesto fill silicone ice cube trays with the pesto. Freeze and then transfer the pesto cubes to a freezer-safe plastic storage bag. Store for 3 to 6 months. Expect some browning unless you blanched the fresh basil.
Kathi says
I have fond memories of shopping for fresh basil at the Pike Place market in Seattle with my Mom then making batches of pesto! Thank you for a vegan version!
Karen says
I am always on the lookout for the perfect recipe bc I haven't found one that I love until now
Tania says
Love this pesto! So handy to keep it in the fridge for quick fix meals!
Emily says
I love this pesto
Kelly Anthony says
I love how easy and fast pesto is and the fact that you can put it on almost anything. This pesto is sure to turn any boring meal into something delicious!
Katherine says
Where is the recipie?
Jen says
Oh no! We fixed it. Thank you so much for letting us know about the issue. Cheers!
Jaya Joy says
Easy classic pesto recipe without the cheese