I made this pesto right after working with the kids at a community garden in Durham. They gave me a bushel of basil. What do you do with a bushel of basil? You make pesto! To compensate for the cheese, I used a combination of raw cashews and nutritional yeast. Cashews are super creamy and when used in combination with a bit of the nutritional yeast makes for a rich and super yummy pesto.
Vegan Pesto
1/4 cup roughly chopped raw walnuts
1/4 cup roughly chopped raw cashews
2.5 cups fresh basil (packed)
2 raw garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 -3/4 cups of olive oil
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
* pre-heat medium frying pan to medium low for 2 minutes
* chop nuts
* toast nuts in dry frying pan for five minutes
* add basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and nuts to blender or food processor
*start blending while adding olive oil in a steady stream (Note: you’ll have to stop periodically to stir if you’re using a blender)
*add nutritional yeast, add salt to taste
–In addition to enjoying the pesto with pasta or on a pizza, you can trying putting it on a sandwich. Right after I prepared the pesto, I made a pesto veggie chicken sandwich. I spread the pesto on each side of Kaiser roll, grilled the veggie chicken pattie and topped it with veggie cheese and lettuce.
This is a great recipe – I can't have dairy, so I make vegan pestos too! I'm bookmarking this recipe 🙂 My favourite pesto has red capsicum, sun-dried tomatoes, cashews, garlic, olive oil, and a dash of white wine vinegar – sometimes I add fresh basil too – so yummy!!
Hi Jo! We're glad you like the recipe! Nutritional yeast rocks the house! 😀 Your recipe sounds absolutely delicious, I will have to try it! I heart cashews!