Pesto is one of those pantry staples that are always great to have on hand to add burst of flavour to a meal. When basil is in season, I love to make a large batch of pesto and freeze it. This allows me to add “fresh” basil to my dishes year round.
Today, I am sharing a very simple recipe for a vegan spinach pesto that resembles traditional pesto. However, I like to replace part of the basil wtih spinach because it is more affordable and it gives it a milder taste. To make it vegan, I replace the parmesan cheese that is usually in the traditional recipe with nutritional yeast and miso for a super creamy texture and cheesy/tangy taste.
This recipe is so simple and can be made in less than 10 minutes. You simply mix all the ingredients pictured below in the food processor and then place it in a jar. You can spread it on sandwiches, use it over pasta, pizza, salad… the possibilities are endless!
- ¾ cup pine nuts
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup basil leaves, firmly packed
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- 1 teaspoon white miso
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- Place pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until they are finely ground.
- Add spinach, basil, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and miso and process until it is fairly smooth.
- Drizzle olive oil in the food processor while it continues to process the ingredients. Once all the olive oil is in the food processor, continue to process until everything is smooth.
- Transfer to a clean jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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