Pesto is my favorite sauce to add to pasta. Unfortunately, most pesto has some sort of cheese in it, so it's not vegan. That's why I made this easy to recreate vegan avocado hemp pesto.
What you will need
To make this pesto, you will need basil, avocado, nutritional yeast, almonds, hemp seeds, garlic, juice of a lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Basil is the base for pesto. It has a unique flavor that makes any pasta taste even better. The avocado helps give the pesto a creamy texture and the hemp seeds and almonds give it a nutty taste. For your almonds to be softer and blend easier, soak them overnight.
Tip: pesto traditionally has pine nuts in it, which taste delicious but can be a bit expensive. The almonds and hemp seeds are a cheaper alternative that's still nutritious and makes the recipe taste delicious.
To replace the cheesy flavor usually found in pesto, I added nutritional yeast.
Making your vegan avocado hemp pesto
Start by washing the basil and separating the leaves from the stems. Also chop up the garlic and peel and cut the avocado.
Then add the basil leaves, garlic, avocado, nutritional yeast, soaked almonds, hemp seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to a high speed blender.
Blend all of the ingredients until everything is smooth. You're done!
Pesto is super easy to make and this recipe is highly nutritious and tastes great on any pasta dish that you add it to. Enjoy right away or store in a jar and place in the fridge for up to a week.
If you like making your own sauce make from scratch, try this homemade marinara sauce.
If you are looking for more pasta recipes, try these spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, or this pasta salad. All are vegan and gluten free 🙂
Vegan Avocado Hemp Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh basil
- ½ avocado
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ almonds best if soaked overnight
- ⅛ cup hemp seeds
- 3 cloves garlic
- juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Start by washing your basil and taking off the leaves. This is the part that you will use in the pesto.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a high sleep blender and blend until the pesto is creamy and smooth.
- Add this pesto to your favorite pasta, toast, or veggies! Refrigerate for up to a week.
Nutrition
[…] dairy free avocado pesto […]