Dairy Free Vegan Pesto

Basil thrives all summer long here in Arizona. Every spring we sow seeds for sweet basil. As you can see by the end of summer we have more than enough of this great herb to last all year.  This is 3 of the 6 plants we have growing around our yard. So what to do with all that basil? How about make some dairy free Vegan Pesto!!

This large leafed variety, also known as Genovese basil, has many uses in the kitchen as well as your medicine cabinet. For centuries it has been used to treat stomach issues, parasites, head colds, ear infections, bites, stings, and the list goes on. There are so many uses for this great herb but our favorite is homemade pesto. It is simple to make. Only a few ingredients.

We have been making this for years thanks to my mother-in-law for sharing her simple recipe with us. Since we have recently changed up our diet to include only vegan foods, I have had to make some changes to our favorite recipes. This is NOT a bad thing. Most of our favorite foods have gone from good to simply amazing by giving them more flavor and increased health benefits.

Vegan Pesto

This is a delicious pesto that is simple to make. Only a few key ingredients. Freezer friendliness is an added bonus. The Nutritional Yeast gives it a cheesy flavor. You would never guess that it is dairy free.Makes about 1 Cup

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Prep Time 20 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 1276 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts You can substitute for any nuts of your choice. Walnut, Cashew, Pecans, Pine Nuts…..
• 2 cups Packed Sweet Basil Leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 1 TBSP Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 2 TBSP Nurtritional Yeast (Optional)
• Sea Salt, Pepper to taste (Optional)

Instructions

 

• Place the the basil leaves in a food processor and blend to a green paste.
• Add the garlic, nuts and some salt in there and process briefly.
• While processing, gradually add the olive oil and finally add the nutritional yeast and lemon juice.
• Pack extra pesto in Freezer Safe Jars or Ice Cube Trays and freeze

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