This Healthy Vegetarian Pesto Sauce is so easy to make in just 10 minutes! Don't buy store bought pesto when you can make this fresh & fast homemade pesto. Enjoy this sauce served with pizza, pasta, sandwiches, eggs & more!
Homemade Pesto is one of my go to recipes all Spring and Summer long. This pesto sauce recipe is made from fresh basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts & fresh garlic. It's the perfect quick & easy pesto recipe and it packs so much flavor!
If you love pesto recipes, make sure to check out my Creamy Pesto Gnocchi, Pesto Tortellini Salad and Pesto Chicken Sandwiches. All of these recipes are super yummy lunch or dinner ideas!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It takes less than 10 minutes to make!
- It's only 5 ingredients, plus salt and pepper.
- This pesto sauce is vegetarian friendly.
- While pesto is higher in calories than some other sauces due to the olive oil, it is packed with healthy ingredients. Plus, you don't need much for a total flavor boost.
- This recipe will stay good in the fridge for up to a week, so you can use it over and over for foods like pasta & pizza or even with eggs and toast in the morning.
Love Pasta recipes? Try this Creamy Pesto Pasta, Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Pasta and Pink Sauce Pasta.
Ingredients:
Fresh Basil- Fresh herb with savory and sweet flavors with notes of pepper. Basil is one of my favorite spices to pair with anything Italian. I plant two basil plants in my garden every Spring, so that I can take advantage of the taste all Spring and Summer long. Basil is high in Vitamin A & K and has anti-inflammatory properties.
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese- An Italian cheese known for its salty nutty flavor profile. It's important to use the real stuff here, even if you are on a budget. You will not get the desired flavor from a fake bottled cheese here. If you look in the fresh cheese section in the grocery store, you will usually find smaller cuts that won't break the bank.
Olive Oil- The base of the pesto and combines all of the ingredients into the perfect texture. Consider using a higher quality extra virgin olive oil in pesto, since it's such a main ingredient. Olive Oil is high in fat, but don't worry, it's the good kind-monounsaturated. Olive Oil also contains antioxidants and is known to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Pine Nuts- To add bulk and structure to the pesto sauce along with a creamy texture. Pine nuts are full of healthy fat, protein, and vitamins, like Vitamin K.
Garlic- Adds a strong Italian flavor and since it is used raw, it adds a bit a spiciness into the pesto sauce recipe. An article from RealSimple.com titled 6 Powerful Health Benefits of Garlic states that garlic is nutrient dense, reduces risk of heart disease, is full of antioxidants and that it is immune system boosting.
Variations & Substitutions:
- Different types of nuts can be used to replace the pine nuts in this recipe. Some popular options are walnuts, pecans or even sunflower seeds. I prefer the traditional pine nuts, but these are extra options.
- If you are looking for a deeper flavor, you can roast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing them often. Immediately transfer to a bowl to stop the cooking process and allow them to cool before mixing into the food processor.
- If you don't have a food processor, consider using a blender or even an immersion blender can work. Just be careful not to over mix, as this can cause a bitter flavor to develop.
- Short on basil and looking for extra veggie pesto? Use 1 cup of basil leaves with 1 cup of baby spinach for the added health benefits.
Love easy Italian sauces? Try my 5 minute Gremolata Sauce too!
How to Make Healthy Vegetarian Pesto Sauce:
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Here are the Step by Step Instructions to make this Vegetarian Pesto:
Step 1: Add the Ingredients Into the Food Processor
Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese and salt and pepper in the food processor.
Give it a few pulses to combine the ingredients.
Step 2: Pour in Olive Oil
While the food processor is on low, slowly pour in olive oil. Turn on high for a few seconds, then pulse about 10 times to puree the pesto sauce.
Step 3: Enjoy!
Spread onto bread, sandwiches and pizza. Toss into pasta recipes or even dollop on eggs. There are so many ways to enjoy this pesto sauce.
Expert Tips:
- Do not over blend in the food processor to avoid a bitter taste.
- It is extremely important to use a real parmesan cheese in this recipe. Do not buy pre-shredded cheese in the store. This has preservatives and doesn't blend as well in the recipe.
- Pine nuts can be expensive. If you are on a budget, look in the baking isle for the small nut bags used for baking. Sometimes you can find pine nuts here. You only need 2 tablespoons in this recipe, so it's a great way to save money by not having a purchase a big expensive bag.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! I pick all of my basil at the end of the Summer garden season and make a bunch of pesto to freeze. I like to freeze mine into ½ cup portions into sandwich baggies, making sure I let all the air out of the bag before sealing. You can also freeze into ice cube trays or vacuum seal. Use within 6 months. I usually run out in about 3 months.
It is definitely worth making. In less than 10 minutes you have fresh pesto sauce that lasts up to a week and you can use it on so many recipes. Store bought pesto often contains preservatives, that you can avoid by making your own homemade recipe.
Pesto's ingredients are healthy. While olive oil is high in fat, it's high in healthy fats and has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The cheese also adds calcium to the recipe. Pesto is very flavorful in just small amounts, so a ton of sauce isn't needed when serving. You want to use pesto sauce in moderation, but it is healthy overall.
Storing:
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.
More Recipes You Will Enjoy:
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PrintRecipe
Healthy Vegetarian Pesto Sauce
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: ½ cup pesto sauce 1x
Description
This Healthy Vegetarian Pesto Sauce is so easy to make in just minutes! Don't buy store-bought when you can make this fresh & fast homemade pesto. Serve this over pasta, pizza, eggs and so much more.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried (about 40-50 leaves or a 1.25 ounce package)
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese and salt and pepper in the food processor. Give it a few pulses to combine the ingredients.
While food processor is on low, slowly pour in olive oil. Turn on high for a few seconds, then pulse about 10 times to puree the pesto sauce.
Enjoy!
Notes
Remove leaves from basil plant for recipe. Do not use stems.
Do not over blend in the food processor to avoid a bitter taste. You want to pulse just until combined.
It is extremely important to use a real parmesan cheese in this recipe. Do not buy pre-shredded cheese in the store. This has preservatives and doesn't blend as well in the recipe.
Pesto tastes delicious on pasta, pizza, and even eggs!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: vegetarian pesto, pesto recipes, basil pesto, how to make pesto
Lisa
Great Recipe! Thank you!
★★★★★