🍋🌿 Vegan Lemon Pesto — Creamy, Bright & Ready in Minutes!
This Vegan Lemon Pesto is fresh, zesty, and luxuriously creamy—without any dairy. It comes together in minutes and is perfect for pasta, sandwiches, roasted veggies, grain bowls, or as a dip. Light yet rich, with a sunny lemon kick that keeps it vibrant and addictive.
🌱 Recipe Introduction
A plant-based twist on classic pesto, this version uses nuts or seeds for creaminess, fresh basil, and lemon for brightness. No cheese, no fuss—just blend and enjoy.
🧾 Ingredients (Makes ~1½ cups)
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup raw cashews (soaked 20 minutes for extra creaminess)
or pine nuts/sunflower seeds - 2 cloves garlic
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (to taste)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2–4 tbsp nutritional yeast (for “cheesy” flavor)
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- 2–4 tbsp water (to adjust consistency)
- Optional: pinch of black pepper or red pepper flakes
👩🍳 Instructions
- Blend the base
Add basil, nuts/seeds, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and olive oil to a food processor or blender. - Blend until creamy
Blend, scraping down the sides as needed. Add water a little at a time until smooth and spoonable. - Taste & adjust
Adjust salt, lemon juice, or nutritional yeast to your liking. - Serve or store
Use immediately or transfer to a jar. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep it bright.
✅ Tips & Variations
- Extra creamy: use soaked cashews or add 1–2 tbsp plant-based yogurt
- Nut-free: swap cashews for sunflower seeds
- Herb swap: try half basil, half spinach or arugula
- Storage: keeps 4–5 days refrigerated; freezes well
Bright, fresh, and endlessly versatile—this Vegan Lemon Pesto will become a staple 🌿🍋