Even though I have a gazillion vegan/vegetarian cookbooks, I don’t refer to them too often. I have this thing about feeling like I have to create the recipes myself. Whatever. Anyway, last night I made my minestrone (I guess I should post that recipe too), but I wanted a pesto to top it off. Prepared pestos and recipes for them contain lots of olive oil, cheese and nuts. Well, this recipe, created by Del Sroufe – author of the Forks Over Knives Cookbook – ROCKS! No oil, no cheese, and fewer pine nuts than traditional recipes. It came out so creamy, so rich, you would NEVER know it didn’t have the traditional ingredients. I haven’t tried it but you can leave the nuts out, and use lite silken tofu, to make it even lower in fat. I seriously licked the blade of the food processor like I’d just made cookies. Ridiculous. If you like pesto, try this recipe!! You won’t be sorry!
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This vegan, oil-free, lower-fat version of pesto is every bit as rich and flavorful as traditional recipes. Leave out the nuts and use lite tofu to make it even lower in fat. Great stirred into minestrone, on wraps and sandwiches, in pasta and on homemade pizza.
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- 2 cups (packed) fresh basil
- 1/2 package firm silken tofu 12 oz package
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 cloves garlic peeled & chopped
- Combine all ingredients in food processor until creamy.
Update 3/2016: I made this recently with half the amount of basil called for (I used 1 cup) and 3 cloves of garlic instead of 4, and I added a few mint leaves as well. I also added a few TBS of water because I wanted it a little more saucy. Additionally, I used walnuts instead of pine nuts, simply because I was out. Delicious!! I actually preferred it to the original recipe. This pesto would be an excellent dressing - just add water to desired thickness!