Mixed into luscious strands of bucatini or twists of trofie, pesto is one of the most comforting pasta sauces. Its nutty depths contrast with the zing of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and are carried on the richness of Italian extra virgin olive oil. There are many types of pesto, and some of the best are in fact vegan. Here are our five favourite vegan pesto recipes to accompany your freshly-made pasta.
Our Vegan Broccoli Pesto with Roast Chilli Flakes
This most comforting pesto recipe can be enjoyed all year round, and provides the calcium and vitamin D needed to maintain a balanced vegan diet. With a deep green colour, the depth of the broccoli florets contrasts beautifully with a scattering of roasted chilli flakes. We’d recommend pairing it with fusilli, casarecci, gnocchi or linguine – they’ll ensure that no pesto is left at the bottom of the bowl.
Ingredients
- 500g broccoli
- 20g pine nuts
- 20g almonds
- 4-5 leaf of Basil
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Chilli flakes (optional)
Method
- Steam the broccoli for 20 minutes, and then wash under cold water.
- Roast the pine nuts and almonds for a few minutes in a hot pan.
- Put everything in a pestle and mortar, and grind until your preferred consistency – the pesto is just as delicious either chunky or smooth.
- All that remains is to add to your favourite pasta, sprinkle on some chilli flakes, and enjoy!
Vegan Basil Pesto
The most iconic pesto comes from the north-eastern coastal region of Liguria. Vegan basil pesto has a vibrant green colour which bounces off the red of freshly-picked cherry tomatoes.
Ingredients
For four portions:
- 2 handfuls of basil
- 50g pine nuts
- 50g macadamia nuts
- 1 clove of wild garlic
- 125ml olive oil
- A pinch of salt
- A handful of cherry tomatoes, roughly diced (to garnish)
Method
- Wash the basil and add half of it to either a food processor or a pestle and mortar.
- Add the wild garlic, macadamia nuts, and pine nuts.
- Start to blend with the processor or grind in your pestle and mortar until you reach a rough consistency.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil and continue to blend until you obtain a smooth, silky consistency.
- Simply mix in with your favourite fresh pasta – vegan basil pesto is perfect with fusilli, cavatappi, and rotini. The twists of the pasta hold the pesto well, and allows its herby, comforting oil to cling to its surface.
- For a touch of sweetness, scatter the diced cherry tomatoes over the pasta.
Chef’s Tip – Add a squeeze of lemon juice to add a pleasantly sharp note to the pesto.
Vegan Red Pesto
This alternative to the classic pesto alla Genovese uses tomatoes that have been dried to perfection under the Italian sun. Similar to our famous red pesto recipe, which uses specially-selected tomatoes from the small commune of San Pietro Vernotico in Puglia, Vegan Red Pesto draws on the finest Italian ingredients to add a sweet note to your fresh pasta – it never fails to evoke the sights and sounds of summer in la campagna.
Ingredients
For four portions:
- 100g sun-dried tomatoes, preferably Southern Italian
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
- 150g cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves of wild garlic
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 handful parsley
- 1tsp capers
- 1 tsp tomato purée
Method
- Add the garlic, parsley, capers, tomato purée, and olive oil to a food processor or a pestle and mortar, and grind until you reach a smooth yet slightly chunky consistency.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and nutritional yeast to the mix and continue to blend.
- If the pesto is chunky, add some a spoon or two of water to the mix – you want to achieve a smooth, velvety consistency
- Season to taste
- Mix in with steaming freshly-made pasta – vegan red pesto is great with linguine.
Tip – To increase the density of the pesto as well as the protein content, you can add tofu pieces – 125g is enough for four portions.
Vegan Beetroot Pesto
Source: Kitchn – Vegan Beet Pesto Pasta
We rarely stray from the well-tread culinary path forged by generations of Italian nonnas here at Pasta Evangelists, but occasionally innovation does catch our eye. Vegan Beetroot Pesto happens to be one of these. With a deep red hue, this earthy pesto is balanced by the bitterness of vinegar and is a great dinner-party option.
Ingredients
For four portions:
- 2 cloves of wild garlic
- 150g slivered almonds
- 2 large and peeled beetroots, cut into chunks
- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- Fresh chives (for garnish)
- 100ml olive oil
Method
- Add the wild garlic and almonds to a food processor or a pestle and mortar, and crush until you reach a rough, breadcrumb-like consistency.
- Add the beetroots, olive oil, and vinegar to the mix and blend again, until the pesto has a smooth yet chunky texture.
- Season, and add to the fresh pasta of your choice – spaghetti is ideal and adds to the visual appeal of the dish.
Vegan Pistachio Pesto
Pesto can be made with many types of nuts, and pistachio is no exception. Sicilian pistachios, as used in our classic recipe, add a vibrant green alongside an earthy depth which contrasts beautifully with a twist of lemon. This vegan pistachio pesto recipe translated from Donna Moderna is particularly delightful when paired with orecchiette or strozzapreti.
Ingredients
For four portions:
- 120g of fresh Sicilian pistachios
- ½ lemon
- A handful of basil
- 2 handfuls of mint
- 4 tbs Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 clove wild garlic
Method
- Put the pistachios and garlic in food processors or pestle and mortar, and grind down until you reach a rough, crumbly texture.
- Remove half of the mixture and set aside.
- Add the basil and mint to the remaining mix along with the olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, and crush until you’ve made a coarse-textured sauce.
- Season to taste.
- Add to the fresh pasta of your choice.
- Divide the portions and scatter the remaining pistachio/garlic mixture over the top, and grate some the lemon zest to add an extra zing to the dish.
Vegan pesto is a delicious sauce for fresh pasta. Whether you choose strands of spaghetti or soft twirls of trofie, there are many different varieties of pesto to suit your needs!
