Easy Vegan Hemp Seed Pesto
This vegan hemp seed pesto is one of my favourite recipes to make! It’s nut, dairy, and gluten-free. Modifications, storage instructions, and recipe pairing ideas included.
Looking to bring any dish from average to AMAZING?! One of the best ways to elevate your salads, grain bowls, toasts, pastas, and even snacks is to add a delicious sauce, just like this vegan hemp seed pesto.
This homemade pesto is nut and dairy-free, using hemp seeds instead of pine nuts and nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
This recipe is great to add to your weekly meal prep routine. It stores for 4-5 days in the fridge, and can be added to so many different meals, as mentioned above.
I’ve been making it at least once a month for YEARS. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Want more sauce recipes? Check out my roundup of healthy homemade sauces + dressings for more ideas!
How To Make Pesto From Scratch
This easy homemade pesto takes about 5 minutes to make. All you’ll need is a food processor or high-speed blender and a few ingredients.
To make the pesto, simply add the following ingredients into your food processor or blender:
- fresh basil
- hemp seeds
- nutritional yeast
- olive oil
- garlic
- salt
- pepper
Blend and pulse until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, being generous with the salt + pepper!
If you like the pesto a little bit runnier, simply add a splash more olive oil or water. Blend until it meets your desired consistency. That’s it!
Recipe Modifications
While I love this base recipe, one great thing about homemade pesto is how easily modifiable it is. You can switch the hemp seeds and basil with a number of ingredients, depending on what you have on hand.
- Hemp seeds can be swapped with any nut or seed. For example, try this pesto with pumpkin seeds, pistachios, walnuts, or almonds.
- Basil can be swapped with another leafy green, such as spinach, kale, or arugula. You can even do a mixture of different greens if you’d like!
- If you don’t have nutritional yeast, feel free to do this with traditional parmesan (if you aren’t vegan or dairy-free, of course).
How To Store Pesto
Homemade pesto can be kept in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for 4-5 days.
To further extend the shelf-life of pesto, you can freeze it for up to 4 months. Pesto can be frozen in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
One great way to freeze pesto is to pour it into silicone ice cube trays. Once frozen, you can pop the pesto out and place in a freezer bag. This way, you have easy portions of pesto that you can reheat!
What To Pair With Pesto
Pesto tastes amazing with so many different dishes. For some ideas, check out my favourite recipes using pesto below:
- Easy Baked Pesto Pasta
- Pesto Quinoa Bowl With Broccoli & Sweet Potato
- 25-Minute Baked Salmon With Pistachio Pesto
- Basil Walnut Pesto Linguine With Shrimp
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Hemp Seed Pesto
- Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pizza
Recipe Nutrition Notes
Hemp Seed Nutrition:
- one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids
- rich in plant-based protein, with just 3 tablespoons providing 10 grams
- a good source of vitamin E and minerals like zinc, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium
Nutritional Yeast Nutrition:
- an excellent source of B-vitamins, like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6, and B12
- a source of trace minerals like zinc, selenium, and manganese
Olive Oil Nutrition:
- rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids
- a source of vitamins E and K
- high in antioxidants
Basil Nutrition:
- a source of antioxidants
- a source of vitamins like C, A, K, and B6
- a source of minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron
More Easy Vegan Sauce Recipes
- Vegan Red Pesto
- Creamy Vegan Zucchini Pesto
- 5-Minute Miso Tahini Sauce
- Cashew Cream Tomato Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper Cashew Cream
- Mushroom Cashew Cream
- Vegan Green Goddess Sauce With Avocado
Did you give this Easy Vegan Hemp Seed Pesto Recipe a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Vegan Hemp Seed Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups (or large handfuls) fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and dry basil leaves.
- Add all ingredients to a mini food processor or high-speed blender. Mix until well-combined, adjusting salt and pepper to taste. If a thinner consistency is desired, add a splash of water or extra olive oil and blend again.
- Store in a glass container in fridge. Use on pastas, grain bowls, salads, pizzas, toasts, and more!
Notes
- Hemp seeds can be swapped with any nut or seed. E.g. pumpkin seeds, pistachios, walnuts, or almonds.
- Basil can be swapped with another leafy green, such as spinach, kale, or arugula. You can even do a mixture of different greens if you’d like!
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
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12 Comments on “Easy Vegan Hemp Seed Pesto”
good but I felt it was missing some lemon juice 🙂 Easy add
Hi Christina,
Oh yum – I’m sure a touch of lemon would taste fantastic!! I’ll have to try that myself. I hope you enjoyed this one 🙂
This is the best home made pesto recipe ive ever tried! It was so easy to make and super delicious and fresh tasting. Note: if you dont’t have a high speed blender Add a little extra evoo to get a more creamy consistenCy! Thanks wAlder wellness!!
Hi Lindsey,
Thank you so much for the kind words!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this pesto recipe! Thanks so much for sharing the tip for those without a high-speed blender or food processor. Adding a little extra EVOO or water works great to thin things out a bit 🙂
I have a thriving basil plant and now i have the Perfect thing to make with all thE leaves. I love the use of hemp hearts too! Such a Yummy recipe. Thank you!!
So happy you found a recipe to use up that basil! I’m hoping to grow basil this summer so I can do the same haha 🙂 Thanks so much Gurjeet!
this is my go-to vegan pesto recipe! i love this so much more than any nut based pesto.
Hi Madalyn! Thank you so much for sharing!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this pesto recipe – it’s my go-to as well!!
I love this recipe! delicious, super easy to make, and a fraction of the cost of traditional pesto. I usually add a bit of lemon juice or bragg’s ACV to add a little brightness. did I mention how yummy this is 🙂
Hi Jude!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! It’s so appreciated and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one. It’s truly my go-to homemade pesto hehe. And yes, so much more cost effective!! Those pine nuts are $$$, hemp seeds are the perfect swap 🙂 Love the addition of lemon or ACV!
Made this today with my garden fresh basil, and it tastes a-mazing! I used garlic olive oil and added some lemon juice. Will be making this regularly!
Hi Julie! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this pesto!! Making it with fresh basil from the garden sounds just divine!