10-Minute Vegan Pesto Sauce with Basil and Pine Nuts

Sep 18, 2020 (Last updated Aug 4, 2026) by Hannah Sunderani

Say hello to this classic, quick, and delicious recipe for vegan pesto! Made simply with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, nutritional yeast and garlic. This vegan pesto is fresh, bright, nutty and tangy. It’s a great recipe to prepare in advance, and even batch freeze so that you have it handy whenever you need!

I love to use pesto in various recipes, either making a simple pesto pasta, or enjoying as a dip for crispy tofu and roasted potatoes, or tossed into salads for extra flavour!

This is a great recipe to make in the summertime with you have lots of fresh basil in the garden to use up. So, let me tell you exactly how to make this recipe so that you can enjoy it pronto!

Ingredient Notes:

This recipe uses fresh and simple ingredients that likely you already have on hand! The result is a fresh, herby and nutty vegan pesto that is SO addictive! Here’s exactly what you’ll need:

• Basil: This recipe uses two cups of freshly packed basil leaves. The summer months are a great time to make pesto because basil is fresh and abundant! The recipe can be batch made and frozen, making it ideal for summer cooking! I have also recipe tested this with fresh parsley leaves for a parsley pesto and it’s delicious! A combo of both basil and parsley is also very nice.
• Pine nuts: This soft and delicate nut is what’s traditionally used for making pesto, which is why I have used it in my classic vegan pesto. They offer buttery flavour and a creamy texture that is unmatched! The next best option is to use raw cashews – which is also a cheaper option, and it works really nicely.
• Nutritional Yeast: Adds cheesy flavour to this vegan pesto to mimic parmesan. It adds lovely savoury and umami flavour to this vegan pesto while keeping the recipe dairy-free.
• Lemon: Brightens the recipe for a fresh and tangy pesto. The lemon also helps to mellow bold garlic, and keeps the pesto a vivid green hue.

How to Make Vegan Pesto with Pine Nuts

Vegan pesto couldn’t be simpler to make. My personal preference is to use a food processor if you h ave one, but a blender works just the same. Simply toss your ingredients into your food processor with the S-shape blade and pulse a few times to combine. Then turn your processor on low, and drizzle in the olive oil until you’ve got a combined yet textured blend. Voila. You’ve got yourself some pesto.

Here’s exactly what you’ll do:

So there we have it! A easy vegan pesto recipe that’s full of flavour! Enjoy adding it to all of your fave dishes! I’m sure you’ll see that there’s lots of fun ways that you can make the most out of these tasty herb.

And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.