Vegan Basil Pesto (Keto & Whole30)

This Vegan Basil Pesto is loaded with bright herby flavor and made in a few minutes. You won’t miss the cheese in this paleo, vegan, keto + Whole30-friendly pesto. It will make any meal more flavorful, whether it’s tossed with pasta, enjoyed with your favorite protein, or used as a dip or spread.

this recipe

Happy Hump Day!!! This week has felt extra long already, and it’s only Tuesday when I’m writing this…major brain fog. Maybe it’s the gloomy clouds that have been surrounding my apartment for the past four days – at least the rain has finally stopped, though.

I’m hoping that the San Diego sun will come back out and say hi, but as most San Diegans know…we’re entering the cloudy months of May and then we’ll be into June Gloom. The clouds are likely to stay around for a little while. Luckily, my plants have been loving the rain and clouds, and will be skyrocketing when the sun does come out!

I’ve been finding so much comfort in spring growth, and with all the spring produce that’s been making it’s way into my apartment. The juiciest of strawberries, vibrant rhubarb, thin asparagus stalks, BIG artichokes, leafy spinach, and tons of fragrant basil have been flooding the farmer’s markets, ready to supplement what’s happening in my little garden.

A bunch of that spinach and basil came home with me, and was begging to be turned into one of my all-time favorite sauces/spreads/condiments: PESTO. So fresh, vibrant, and absolutely delicious – I can eat pesto with just about anything.

While on the Whole30 I did in January, this spinach basil pesto was a staple of my diet. It’s great on zucchini noodles, as a dip for carrots and dolloped in big spoonfuls onto my veggie hashes.

Since my Whole30, it’s constantly been in my fridge. One thing I learned doing Whole30 was that dairy was not my best friend. Vegan pestos for me from here on out! And this one fulfills all my pesto needs perfectly. :)

Does this basil pesto fit into your diet?

Most likely! It’s all these things:

• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Vegan
• Paleo
• Keto
• Whole30

Last week, I inquired on my Instagram Stories about whether anyone would be into seeing more savory recipes here on Bakerita. I got waaaay more enthusiastic yeses than I was expecting to, and after chatting with a few people about what they’d like to see, Whole30-friendly recipes were one of the big winners. Every time I post a picture of my vegan basil pesto when I’m making or using it, I get tons of questions about the recipe. Naturally, I had to share it ASAP!

Here’s how I make my best Vegan Basil Pesto:

I’m all about keeping things simple and fresh in this pesto recipe! Let’s chat about what’s in this recipe:

• Nuts: this recipe calls for a combo of walnuts and pine nuts, but you’re absolutely welcome to use your favorite nuts! I love using pecans in place of both the walnuts and pine nuts when I don’t have them on hand.
• Basil: always necessary for pesto! Fresh is best.
• Spinach: optional, and can be replaced with more basil, other herbs like mint or parsley, or other greens like arugula or baby kale! This addition helps amp up the nutritional value.
• Garlic: because of course every pesto needs garlic! When I’m using raw, I add two to three small cloves so it’s not overly garlicky. If I happen to have it on hand though, I love adding 5 or 6 cloves of roasted garlic. It’s less harsh than raw garlic and adds such an incredible roasted, garlicky flavor to the pesto.

• Lemon: this adds lovely brightness to the recipe. I love using both the juice and the zest of the lemon.
• Nutritional Yeast: this serves as our Parmesan replacement, adding a cheesy, umami flavor to the pesto. You can leave it out if you don’t have it on hand or don’t like it.
• Salt & Pepper: no recipe is complete without these two!
• Olive oil: for luscious creaminess! A lot of basil pesto recipes will use double, sometimes triple the amount of oil that I call for here. I prefer a less oily pesto, so I add just enough for the pesto to blend beautifully. If for some reason I want it thinner and drippier, like for salad dressing or pasta sauce, I’ll thin it out with more oil, lemon juice, or pasta water.

Want some ways to use this vegan basil pesto?! Check out these faves –>

• Spread a layer on the bottom of this Grain-Free Heirloom Tomato Mozzarella Galette
• Add extra oil and some vinegar to make it a salad dressing.
• Make these Cheesy Turkey Pesto Rolls
• Toss the pesto with pasta, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash!

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Remember to #bakerita if you try the recipe!

Vegan Spinach Basil Pesto (Paleo, Vegan & Whole30)

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Bakerita - Rachel Conners
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

This Vegan Basil Pesto is loaded with bright herby flavor and made in just a few minutes. You won’t miss the cheese in this paleo, vegan, keto + Whole30-friendly pesto. It will make any meal more flavorful, whether it’s tossed with pasta, enjoyed with your favorite protein, or used as a spread.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ¼ cup walnuts or your favorite nut
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups fresh spinach (or more basil)
• 2 small garlic cloves, see Notes
• Zest & juice from 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

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Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor or high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix). Pulse on low speed until the ingredients are starting to break down. Slowly stream in the oil with the machine on low until the sauce begins to come together.
2. Make sure to scrape down the sides if you’re using a food processor. If you’re using a blender, keep the motor on low and use a tamper/scrape down the sides to make sure your pesto doesn’t become too smooth and pureed. You want the ingredients broken up into little bits, but not completely smooth. Taste, and add more salt, pepper, and lemon to your tastes. If you want a thinner pesto, add more olive oil or add water to get to your desired consistency.
3. Pour into an airtight jar or container to store. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for a few months.

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Notes

If you happen to have roasted garlic on hand, try substituting 5 or 6 cloves roasted garlic in place of the raw!

Originally published May 10th, 2017

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