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Plants Not Plastic

Easy Oil-Free Pesto

This oil-free pesto is made in less than five minutes, has bright, refreshing flavor, and a ton of variety for how to make and use it (and get more greens into you diet in a blended up sauce)!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings: 12 servings (~2tbsp); 3/4 cups for whole recipe
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Sauce, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 10
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups basil leaves, main stems removed packed; sub spinach or other greens [note#1]
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 cloves garlic whole
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 4-6 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese substitute [see directions for recipe]

Equipment

  • high-speed blender

Method
 

  1. Make a batch of Vegan Parmesan Cheese
    Vegan Cheeseless Parmesan
  2. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and pulse until all ingredients are combined into a sauce
  3. Serve right away or refrigerate for future use; stores for up to a week.
  4. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. While pesto is traditionally made with basil, I use spinach more often than basil (because it's easier to find and less expensive) and lots of other greens and herbs can be substituted in its place - baby kale, arugula, watercress, parsley, cilantro, mint, sage & tarragon all work great; I've even heard you can use lettuce (but I won't vouch for it!). Feel free to play with this recipe with these other options and see how you like it!
Inspired by SkinnyMs recipe