Vegan Pesto Sauce

Easy, delicious, flavorful and so easy to whip together, this dairy free and vegan pesto recipe is the perfect addition to any meal. Serve it with some grilled chicken, pasta, in a sandwich or just as a simple spread on toast.

You know those days when you don’t really feel like eating vegetables or salad but know you probably should? Or when you’re feeling ultra lazy and don’t want to spend much time cooking? I always reach for my avocado chickpea salad in those cases.

Well, I’ve been having a lot of those days recently so I decided I needed to share a recipe on here for when other people feel the same way!

This mushroom broccoli rigatoni is also great for those lazy nights, but this dairy free vegan pesto recipe with some pasta has been my favorite as of late.

Most pesto sauces contain parmesan cheese, so they aren’t vegan friendly, but I opted to use cashew parmesan in this recipe so it is dairy free and can be enjoyed by all types of eaters!

This pesto is protein packed, loaded with healthy fats, and only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. Serve it up with some pasta and grilled chicken for a simple weeknight meal! Be sure to try my pesto hummus or red pepper sauce next!

Before we get started…

• I love adding veggies into whatever I can, so this recipe calls for some kale. However, this is totally optional! You can swap for arugula as well or spinach if you prefer a more mild flavor.
• You need lots of fresh basil for this recipe! Don’t hold back- it’s where all the flavor comes from!

How to make vegan pesto sauce

Pesto is one of my favorite sauces/dips to make because it is so easy and packed with flavor. I generally serve it warm, but this pesto can also make a great sauce for a pasta salad or sandwich, too!

Add the kale and garlic to a food processor and pulse a few times so they get broken up and you don’t end up with large chunks in the final sauce.

Add all of the remaining ingredients for the pesto to the food processor and process until smooth or leave a few larger chunks if desired.

Taste and add extra basil, salt, lemon, or cashew parmesan if desired. Set in the fridge to chill or toss with cooked pasta of choice and serve warm!

Key ingredients

PINE NUTS. Most pesto sauces have some sort of nut as the base. Pine nuts are the most common because of their mild and neutral flavor, but almonds, cashews and walnuts can also be used!

BASIL. The star of the show! Basil is really what makes pesto, pesto. It adds a lot of flavor and you really can’t make pesto without basil.

LEMON. Fresh lemon juice will help balance out all of the other flavors in the sauce.

GARLIC. Another key ingredient for flavor! About 2-3 large cloves will do the trick here.

PARMESAN. Traditional pesto uses regular parmesan, but this vegan versions uses my cashew parmesan to keep it dairy free.

OLIVE OIL. This is key to help the sauce blend up! I do not recommend making this recipe oil free, it adds a lot of flavor and helps with the texture.

What does pesto taste like?

The main ingredient in pesto is basil, so pesto tastes a lot like basil! With a garlicky and slight cheesy and nutty flavor, it’s a very savory and delicious sauce.

Do you serve it hot or cold?

Either! You do not need to heat the pesto sauce up before serving. You can use it cold in sandwich or as a dip (with my vegan summer rolls!), or warm it up for pasta!

Serving suggestions

MEAT. I love chicken or white fish with pesto, but even salmon is delicious. I love a good chicken pesto pasta. Three of my favorite foods in one!

PASTA. Pesto pasta is of course such a classic dish. Rotini is often uses for pesto pasta dishes, but penne or even spaghetti are also delicious.

VEGGIES. Pesto makes a great dip for your favorite veggies, either raw or roasted! I also love to steam or blanch some broccoli, dice super finely and then toss in a few tablespoons of pesto. Simple but so good!

SANDWICHES. I love using this vegan pesto to spread on sandwiches or wraps for lots of flavor.

Pro tips!

You can make a double batch of the pesto and keep the leftover sauce for sandwiches, dips, or for chicken and buddha bowls throughout the week!

If stored on its own (not with pasta or anything), the pesto sauce will keep in the fridge for a full week. It may discolor slightly, but the lemon should prevent this from happening too much!

You can use arugula in place of the kale if you prefer, though this will alter the taste slightly, but it is still delicious. You can also just leave it out entirely.

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