In this house, we’re pesto people…cheesy vegan pesto, to be exact.
We spread it on toast with roasted tomatoes, use it to jazz up our sandwiches and biscuits, add it to pizza and pasta dishes, and – let’s face it – eat it straight out of the blender.
There are so many reasons we love this awesome spread; I thought I’d make a list of my top 5 reasons why this cheesy vegan pesto is the besto:
- It’s so easy to throw together – a major plus for lazy after-work snacks and dinners
- It’s a great way to get your greens in without actually feeling like you’re eating greens – a major plus for picky eaters everywhere
- It’s jam-PACKED with flavor – a plus for…. umm… anyone with taste buds?!
- It’s totally customizable – have some greens, fresh herbs, and spices? You’re good to go!
- It just makes everything fancier without a ton of effort – a plus for lazy perfectionists everywhere.
And when we say this cheesy vegan pesto is easy to make, we mean it! It’s almost as easy as opening a jar of store-bought pesto but every bit as delicious, if not more.
All you have to do is throw your 8 ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth, and voila! Cheesy vegan pesto perfection ready to be spread allllll over your life.
Pro-tip: If you’re making this in your Vitamix, that tamper thing is a LIFE SAVER. Use it.
This cheesy vegan pesto recipe is somewhere between a spread and a sauce, but feel free to add extra olive oil to make it even runnier. It’s pure heaven on pasta. Or, if you’re looking for more of a creamy pesto sauce, throw in some silken tofu or ripened avocado. The scrumptious possibilities are endless.
This cheesy vegan pesto is completely dairy-free 🙌🏻, but it gets its crazy-awesome cheesy flavor from the addition of the nutritional yeast and touch of white miso paste that really takes it to the next level. If you’re not familiar with these two ingredients, check out your local health food store (or healthy-focused grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods usually have it). When all else fails, there’s always Amazon!
If and when you give this cheesy vegan pesto recipe a try, let us know what you thought and how you used it! Leave a comment and rate it below or tag us in your vibrant and DELICIOUS photos on Instagram (we’re @theplantpowercouple, with the ‘the’).
Enjoy, friends!
Brittany Roche
Yield: 8 oz pesto
This cheesy vegan pesto is easy to make, requiring only eight ingredients and simple methods. It's the perfect addition to pasta, pizza, toast, or straight outta the blender!
10 minPrep Time:
10 minTotal Time:
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 3 cups fresh spinach leaves, packed
- 2 heaping Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp white miso paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a blender or food processor and pulse until a light fluffy dust remains.
- Then, add the rest of the ingredients. Blend on a low setting, stopping to scrape the sides as needed, until all ingredients are minced and well-incorporated. If you're making this in a Vitamix, use your tamper here!
- Use this pesto on toast for a quick snack, in various pasta dishes, on pizza, or straight outta the blender. Enjoy!
