Summer’s the time to enjoy all the basil you can eat, and can you think of a better way to eat it than in a simple but stunning vegan basil pesto? I confess that as many delicious uses as there are for basil, when I have some on hand, the first thing I want to make is a pesto. That’s why this vegan basil pesto recipe was one of the very first I shared with you on this blog more than 11 years ago. I’ve made it countless times since, especially in the summer months when I grow my own basil, and I never tire of it. Pesto is a great sauce to make ahead. When I have an especially generous basil crop, I make several containers of it and freeze them for those days when the craving hits but there’s no fresh basil around. This is also my favorite of all Italian pasta sauces, partly because it tastes like summer, partly because it’s so versatile and can be used for so much more than pasta, and largely because it’s a no-cook sauce so it needs a minimum of work. All you need to do is put all of your ingredients in a food processor and press a button.
Is pesto vegan?
Almost. The only ingredient that keeps pesto sauces from being fully vegan is parmesan cheese, which is an important flavor component in this minimalist sauce. You don’t just want to leave out the parm in a vegan pesto and proceed with the rest of the ingredients because then your pesto would not quite taste right.
What is a good vegan substitute for parmesan cheese in pesto?
Nutritional yeast is a common enough ingredient in most vegan kitchens, and it is packed with essential B vitamins. I add it to all sorts of herb pestos, including mint pesto, garlic greens pesto and fennel pesto. But another ingredient I love using as a cheese substitute in this basil pesto, or any vegan pesto I make, is white miso. White miso has two advantages: it has the the umami that cheese would add, which makes it a great flavor substitute. And because miso should preferably not be cooked to keep its healthy bacteria and enzymes intact, it is a great and nutritious addition to an uncooked sauce like pesto. If you have homemade vegan parmesan, you can use that instead. It’s delicious and you can hold some back for sprinkling on top of your pasta!
How to make vegan basil pesto
Storage
Pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to three days and in the freezer, in an airtight, freezer-safe container, for up to four months.
I hope you’ll try making this vegan basil pesto in your kitchen this summer, and if you do, be sure to come back and let me know all about it. Or take a photo and share it on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me @holycowvegan. Check to get new recipe updates by email.
Ciao!
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