🍋🌿 Vegan Lemon Pesto (Dairy-Free, Fresh, Easy)
Ingredients (Makes about 1 cup)
🌱 Base
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- ¼ cup raw cashews or pine nuts (almonds or sunflower seeds also work)
- 2–3 cloves garlic
- ¼–⅓ cup olive oil (add more for thinner pesto)
- 1 lemon (zest + juice)
- 2–3 tbsp nutritional yeast (for cheesy flavor)
- ¼–½ tsp salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Optional Enhancers
- 1–2 tbsp water (to lighten texture)
- 1 tbsp extra lemon juice for more brightness
- Handful of spinach or parsley for extra green color
- Red pepper flakes for heat
🥣 Instructions
1. Prep the Ingredients
- Wash basil and pat dry—wet leaves can make pesto watery or dull in color.
- Zest the lemon first, then squeeze the juice.
2. Blend the Pesto
- Add nuts/seeds, garlic, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, and half the basil to a food processor.
- Pulse 5–6 times to break everything down.
- Add remaining basil, salt, pepper, and half the lemon juice.
- Begin running the processor and slowly drizzle in olive oil.
- Stop to scrape sides and check texture.
- Add more lemon juice, olive oil, or water until it reaches your desired consistency:
- Thicker → less liquid
- Thinner / for pasta → more water or oil
Taste and adjust:
- More salt → enhances all flavors
- More lemon → more brightness
- More nutritional yeast → more “cheesy” flavor
3. Store or Serve
- Store in an airtight jar.
- Cover surface with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it green.
- Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
🍽️ How to Use Vegan Lemon Pesto
- Toss with warm pasta (add 1–2 tbsp pasta water).
- Spread on sandwiches or wraps.
- Mix into roasted vegetables or potatoes.
- Use as a dip for crackers or bread.
- Stir into soups for bright lemon-basil flavor.
⭐ Tips for the Best Pesto
- If basil is expensive, use ½ basil + ½ spinach or parsley.
- If you want super creamy pesto, use soaked cashews.
- For nut-free pesto, use sunflower seeds.
- Add zest early and lemon juice last to preserve color.