Vegan Pesto

No Parmesan? No problem. This easy vegan pesto recipe is a breeze to make, and it's every bit as bright, nutty, and delicious as the traditional version.

vegan pesto recipe

When I make pesto, I almost always make this vegan pesto recipe. Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional basil pesto, but this vegan version is just as good.

Classic pesto is made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. But my recipe calls for one extra ingredient: lemon juice. The lemon’s bright flavor perfectly balances the richness of the olive oil and elevates the fresh, garlicky, and nutty flavors of the other ingredients. Once you add it, the pesto has enough complexity to make the Parmesan cheese optional, and more often than not, I end up leaving it out. This vegan pesto recipe is a streamlined version of my regular recipe, without the Parmesan cheese. It’s lighter than traditional pesto, it comes together in minutes, and it’s totally delicious. Whether you’re vegan or not, I think you’re going to love it.

Vegan pesto recipe ingredients

Vegan Pesto Recipe Variations

You’ll find my go-to vegan pesto recipe at the bottom of this post. It’s delicious as written, but there are all sorts of tasty ways to change it up. Here are a few of my favorites:

  • Switch the greens. When I have an abundance of fresh basil in the summertime, this vegan pesto recipe is my favorite way to use it. However, I love making this recipe with different herbs and greens too. Try replacing half the basil with arugula, kale, radish greens, parsley, or spinach. You could also skip the basil entirely and use a mix of parsley and cilantro or a 50/50 blend of fresh mint and spinach.
  • Swap the nuts. Almost any nut or seed works well in this vegan pesto recipe! I most often use pepitas or pine nuts, but almonds, cashews, walnuts, and sunflower seeds are great here too.
  • Make it cheesier. If you like your vegan pesto sauce to have a really cheesy flavor, blend in a tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Then, taste and adjust, adding more nutritional yeast if desired.
  • Or amp up the umami. If you don’t have nutritional yeast on hand, add 2 teaspoons of capers or 2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes to give your pesto a rich, savory flavor. Again, taste and adjust, and add more capers or sun-dried tomatoes to suit your tastes.

Vegan basil pesto in a food processor

How to Use Vegan Pesto

There are SO many ways to use this vegan pesto! These ideas are a great place to start:

How do you like to use vegan pesto? Let me know in the comments!

vegan pesto

More Favorite Spreads and Sauces

If you love this vegan pesto recipe, try one of these spreads, sauces, or salad dressings next:

For more delicious vegan recipes, check out this post!

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Vegan Pesto

rate this recipe:
5 from 32 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
This gluten-free, vegan pesto recipe is just as good as traditional pesto, even without the cheese! It's delicious on pasta, pizza, crusty bread, and more. See the post above for additional serving suggestions.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and pulse until well chopped.
  • Add the basil and pulse until combined.
  • With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined.
  • For extra cheesy flavor, add 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast. For brinier flavor, add 2 teaspoons capers. For more umami, add 2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Briefly pulse to combine. Taste and adjust, adding more nutritional yeast, capers, or sun-dried tomatoes, as desired. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.

Notes

Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze the pesto in ice cube trays. Then, transfer the pesto cubes to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.

48 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Terri
    04.21.2023

    I just made this pesto with both nutritional yeast and capers…Awesome!
    Thank you for the great recipe.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      04.21.2023

      Hi Terri, so glad you loved it!

  2. Antonia
    02.22.2023

    If I don’t own a food processor, can I use a nutri bullet instead?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Hi Antonia, yep, that should work, though you might need to add extra oil, 1/2 cup or so, to get it to blend.

  3. Debra
    02.13.2023

    Greetings! WOW! Your website is gorgeous and the recipes are mouthwatering! A quick question-I have gone Whole Food, Plant-Based and cannot have oils. What might I substitute in your recipes, EX: Vegan Pesto….
    Typically, in most recipes, I can use unsweetened applesauce or a plant milk. I did not think that would be a good idea with this gorgeous green pesto.
    Just curious as to what you might suggest. Thank you in advance, and I am so happy to have subscribed to your site!
    Debra

  4. RL
    10.22.2022

    You list “2 cups” of basil leaves – does that mean 2 cups of chhopped or whole leaves?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      10.23.2022

      Whole leaves, gently pressed in the cup to measure (not very packed, not very loose). I hope that helps!

      • Ray
        10.23.2022

        5 stars
        Thanks! Followed it tonight and everyone loved it!

  5. Sylvia
    09.05.2022

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! Delicious and nicely balanced. My new go-to pesto recipe, as I wasn’t totally satisfied with a previous recipe. Base recipe is delicious as is, and I added 1 T. nutritional yeast.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.06.2022

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  6. susan
    08.15.2022

    5 stars
    I made one batch of this pesto with my kitchen garden basil and immediately went back and made another batch. I love the idea of adding brewers yeast, capers and sundried tomatoes. I added them all! Giftworthy, and I had an excellent meal of gnocchi with pesto and added vegan parmesan. Thank you!

  7. LaKena C
    09.14.2021

    5 stars
    The pesto was easy to make and delicious hands down! Thanks!

  8. Kim
    09.05.2021

    5 stars
    This is hands down the best vegan pesto. Better than the stuff they sell at Whole Foods. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.06.2021

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  9. Kati
    08.06.2021

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness this was amazing! I used pumpkin seeds because that’s what I had on hand, and used extra olive oil to thin it down for my picky eaters. We all loved it!

  10. Laura
    08.06.2021

    The basil in my garden was out of control, so I searched for a vegan pesto and made this recipe. All I can say is FANTASTIC! I didn’t have pine nuts, so I toasted some raw cashews in a cast iron skillet and used those instead. Also added the nutritional yeast, as suggested. Wow! My son with dairy allergies is thrilled with the result, and so am I. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

  11. Anita Burnaford
    07.31.2021

    5 stars
    I made it without the cheese, used nutritional yeast, used a little parsley because I didn’t have quite enough basil and added just a tablespoon of sundried tomatoes. Fantastic!

  12. Bianca
    07.29.2021

    Hi there!
    I am wondering approximately how many cups of pesto the recipe makes?
    Thank you!
    Bianca

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.29.2021

      Hi Bianca – about 1 cup

  13. Crystine
    06.21.2021

    5 stars
    Started replacing nuts w hemp seed… so so good!

  14. Ed
    08.27.2020

    Could you use vegan parma in place of nutritional yeast?

  15. Kim
    08.16.2020

    Hi there! If subbing cashews, should they be toasted or raw? Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.16.2020

      Hi Kim, you could use either – raw would have a more neutral taste, toasted would have a stronger cashew flavor. So thats up to you, but either would pulse in just fine.

  16. Kim
    08.03.2020

    5 stars
    The lemon juice really brightens this pesto up. I left out the cheese and added the nutritional yeast (and a little more salt and garlic, to my taste) and whoa…. found my perfect pesto. Thank you for sharing!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2020

      Hi Kim, I’m so glad you loved the pesto!

    • Jenny D
      09.11.2022

      5 stars
      Amazing! Used more garlic, because.. garlic and used nutritional yeast. Bright, flavorful, could eat it by the spoonful!. Oh, also used sunflower seeds bc of allergies, they worked great

      • Jeanine Donofrio
        09.13.2022

        I’m so glad you loved it!

  17. Denise
    06.22.2020

    5 stars
    This is fantastic! Thank you for making a delicious healthy option~ love it!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.12.2020

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  18. Sally
    06.19.2020

    Absolutely delicious pesto. The lemon juice give it such a nice tangy zing that I don’t even miss the parmigiano. Thank you!

  19. Sam McArthur
    06.16.2020

    Using lemon is such a simple idea and makes total sense. It will definitely lift the flavors. I’m going to try this with cashew nuts. Thanks.

  20. nancy
    06.15.2020

    5 stars
    This is another winner from L & L! Just a tweak to leave out the cheese and put in lemon juice and the pesto is so much better. better flavor and better texture. Thanks again L & L.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.15.2020

      I’m so glad you loved it!

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.