Description
A creamy, nut-free vegan pesto made with fresh basil and roasted pumpkin seeds for a rich, flavorful sauce. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or as a dip.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil
- 1 cup pepitas (shell-less pumpkin seeds)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2–3/4 cup water (adjust to texture preference)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Wash the basil leaves thoroughly and set aside.
- Spread the pepitas on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 10 minutes.
- Add the roasted pepitas, basil, garlic cloves, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and water to a blender.
- Blend until smooth for a creamy pesto, or blend less for a chunkier texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning or consistency as desired.
Notes
- Adjust water amount to control thickness.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays for easy portions.
- Great tossed with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or used as a dip.
- You can skip roasting seeds for a quicker version, but roasting enhances flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
