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Fresh Vegan Basil Pesto

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Fresh vegan basil pesto recipe

You really don’t need Parmesan to make seriously tasty pesto! Flavoursome extra virgin olive oil, handfuls of fresh basil, nutty toasted pine nuts, and lots of powerful garlic make one of the best flavour combinations on earth. Tossed through some pasta with some simple veg like asparagus and cherry tomatoes, and you’re on to a winner every time. Such a simple recipe that keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks or even freezes well for a mega-quick slap up dinner any day of the week.

Fresh Vegan Basil Pesto

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

  • 2 cups fresh basil (tightly packed)

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice

  • Good pinch salt and pepper

Method:

Ready for this? It’s pretty tricky so be prepared… Put all ingredients in a food processor, and blitz. That's it. Just whizz up until it's the consistency you like - I find it best when mixed until nearly smooth but still with some texture. 

Nutrition (per serving of pesto):

  • Protein: 6.1g (Women: 12.2% / Men: 11.1%)

  • Iron: 1.8mg (Women: 12.2% / Men: 20.7%)

  • Calories: 269 (Women: 13.5% / Men: 10.8%)

  • Sugars: 1.5g (Women: 1.7% / Men: 1.3%)

  • Total Fats: 26.1g (Women: 37.3% / Men: 27.5%)

  • Saturated Fat: 3.1g (Women: 15.5% / Men: 10.3%)

  • Salt: 0.3g (Women: 5.0% / Men: 5.0%)

  • Fibre: 2.6g (Women: 8.7% / Men: 8.7%)

See the Nutrition Info page for more details on % of Dietary Reference Values for men and women.