Vegan Power Greens Pesto
This easy plant-based Power Greens Pesto is made with nutritionally-dense power greens for a vibrant and flavorful vegan sauce that’s perfect on pasta, sandwiches, or anywhere else you love pesto.
I know I’m not alone in hopefully buying the gigantic container of Power Greens from Costco, using it for all the soups and stews, making a ton of salads, wilting it into scrambles and stir fry’s, and still having a ton leftover. I’m always looking for ways to use up power greens! This power greens pesto is one of my favorite ways to do just that. You can make a batch, or two, or three, to use up all the power greens you have on hand.
Store any you won’t be using immediately in the freezer for when you need a quick meal. Voila – you’ve used all of your power greens before they have a chance to get even a little bit slimy!
Why you’ll love this pesto:
- It’s Plant-Based: this vegan pesto is made entirely from plant-based ingredients. This means that it’s free from animal products and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians (but will also please the omnivores). It still has a ton of umami flavor (and extra nutritents) thanks to the nutritional yeast!
- It’s Nutritionally Dense: thanks to the kale, chard, and spinach, this vegan pesto packs a powerful punch of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It also contains healthy fats from the nuts and olive oil.
- It’s Versatile: see the list of my favorite ways to use it below, or follow your heart. The options are limitless for the delicious ways you can use this vegan pesto!
What are power greens? Power greens are a nutritionally dense greens blend made up of tender baby spinach, baby red and green chard, and baby kale. It’s perfect for salads, adding to soups, or blending into your favorite pesto.
How to make pesto:
Making this power greens pesto is pretty straight forward if you’ve ever made a pesto recipe before. While traditionally pesto is made using a mortar and pestle, we use a food processor to streamline the process and make it way quicker. (TIP: this cordless 5-cup food processor is my favorite for this pesto and all the things!!)
Step 1: add the nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to your food processor and pulse to break into small bits.
Step 2: add in the power greens, basil if using, and lemon juice and zest. Pulse until the greens begin to break down. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the greens and nuts combine and blend into a sauce. It doesn’t need to be completely smooth – I love to have little bits of nuts still present, but you can make it as smooth as you’d like.
Step 3: taste your pesto and adjust as needed, adding more salt, pepper, lemon, and/or nutritional yeast to satisfy your taste buds. If it’s too thick, add more oil or water to get to the consistency you like.
Step 4: transfer to a jar, if you’re not using it immediately, and store in the fridge or freezer. Use like you’d use any pesto!
Ways to use power greens pesto:
- Pasta sauce: Toss the pesto with your favorite pasta for a quick and easy meal. I love using it in this Pesto Cauliflower Gnocchi recipe and this White Bean Pesto Pasta.
- Sandwich spread: Spread the pesto on bread or a wrap for a healthy and flavorful sandwich.
- Dollop on vegetables: I love adding a spoonful of pesto on top of roasted veggies to add extra flavor, like my favorite roasted broccoli recipe.
- Salad dressing: Thin the pesto with a little extra olive oil and vinegar (or lemon juice). Use it as a salad dressing for your favorite salad recipe.
- Dip: Serve the pesto with vegetables or crackers as a tasty dip for an easy appetizer.
Best way to store vegan pesto:
This vegan pesto recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for several months.
To store in the refrigerator: transfer the pesto to an airtight container. Cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation.
To freeze: transfer the pesto to a freezer-safe container (I like using glass jars) and leave a little space at the top for expansion. It helps to label your jars with the contents and the date you prepared it.
More pesto recipes:
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Vegan Power Greens Pesto
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 2 cups 1x
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy plant-based Power Greens Pesto is made with nutritionally-dense power greens for a vibrant and flavorful vegan sauce that’s perfect on pasta, sandwiches, or anywhere else you love pesto.
Ingredients
-
½ cup pistachios, walnuts, or your favorite nut
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 4 cups power greens blend or baby kale, baby chard, or baby spinach
- 1 cup basil, optional, for extra flavor
- Zest & juice from 1 lemon
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse on low speed to break up the nuts and garlic just slightly. Add in the remaining ingredients, besides the olive oil, and begin to pulse the mixture until the ingredients are starting to break down. With the machine running, slowly stream in the oil with the machine on low until the sauce begins to come together.
- Make sure to scrape down the sides as needed 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.
- 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.
Equipment
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