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Home » Recipes

Oil-Free Vegan Pesto (Quick + Easy!)

Published: 8 Jun 2020 · Updated: 28 Sep 2024 by Julianne Lynch · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 26 Comments

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Quick Oil-Free Vegan Pesto
Quick Oil-Free Vegan Pesto

If you're looking for an Oil-Free Vegan Pesto that doesn't skimp on flavor and richness, then I have a solution for you. This lower-calorie pesto recipe substitutes nutritional yeast for the parmesan and aquafaba for the oil. Bump up the nutrition with spinach and the brightness with lemon juice, and you have an absolutely decadent vegan pesto.

Vegan pesto in a jar.
This Simple, Healthy Pesto is absolutely decadent!

I've got big love for pesto--it's so bright and flavorful! And it tastes amazing on pasta, pizza, bread, veggies--just about anything, really. But while it's a no-brainer for most vegans to swap out nutritional yeast for the parmesan, figuring out how to make a rich and delicious pesto without oil left me in a bit of a pickle.

Can you enjoy a pesto sauce made with olive oil? Of course, but if you want a lighter and healthier version, I've got great news for you! You can have an oil-free, healthy, WFPB pesto without skimping on flavor.

I've tried various oil-free pesto recipes, but none of them really hit the right notes until I had an epiphany. And after that revelation, it seemed pretty obvious because I've used this ingredient as an oil substitute in other recipes. You may know it as "the leftover liquid from the can of chickpeas," but those of us who are up on this trendy ingredient know it as aquafaba.

One thing I love about pesto is how versatile it is. I always hate that feeling of finding a delicious recipe but not having the right ingredients on hand. But there are so many swaps you can make with pesto. See my suggestions below.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Equipment
  • How to Serve
  • How to store
  • FAQs
  • More vegan Italian recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Meal Planning Tips

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make this oil-free pesto.

Oil-free vegan pesto ingredients (lemon juice, nutritional yeast, basil, garlic, pine nuts, aquafaba, and spinach).
You just need a few ingredients for this Low Calorie Pesto Sauce
  • fresh basil -- Basil is really the star, but if you're short on basil, you can add more spinach or other herbs (cilantro pesto is delicious). You can even use a mix of frozen basil and spinach.
  • spinach -- You won't even taste it but its a great way to sneak in some extra greens.
  • pine nuts -- If you don't have pine nuts or want to save money you can use sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, or cashews.
  • garlic -- I use raw garlic but if you find it overpowering, you could use roasted garlic or garlic powder.
  • nutritional yeast (click here for more info on Nutritional Yeast)
  • aquafaba -- Aquafaba is the liquid left over in a can of chickpeas. If you don't have aquafaba on hand, you can try the liquid from any white beans or plain water. (Obviously, you could also use olive oil, but the recipe would no longer be oil-free).
  • lemon juice -- This adds brightness and zest to the pesto.
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • salt -- This just enhances all of the flavors.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.

Quick Oil-Free Vegan Pesto
  1. Step 1: Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until golden. Then wash the basil and spinach leaves and add to the food processor with the pine nuts and blend until everything is broken up.
Quick Oil-Free Vegan Pesto
  1. Step 2: Add the other ingredients and blend again until smooth.

Hint: If you are using a full-sized food processor, you can add the aquafaba by pouring it slowly into the opening while the food processor is running, but you don't absolutely have to do it that way. Just blitz everything together until it reaches your desired consistency and you're done!

Vegan pesto sauce on cutting board with knife and bread.
Spread this simple vegan pesto on crostini for a delicious appetizer or side dish.

Equipment

Pesto is such a simple thing to make. For this recipe, you'll need a Food Processor (or a good high-speed blender). A Mini Food Processor will work, but you might have to make the pesto in two batches.

How to Serve

Pesto is traditionally served cold or cool. I love it tossed with linguine or penne pasta. It makes an ideal sauce for a cold Pasta Salad.

It's also great on sandwiches or roasted veggies. Spread it across a slice of fresh baguette or use it as a filling for a wrap. Dollop it on a Mediterranean-themed buddha bowl or add to Vegan Pesto Pizza. However you like it!

How to store

This vegan pesto sauce will store up to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. An extra squeeze of lemon juice over the top will help keep it from discoloring.

You can also freeze pesto for up to 6 months. I love making a big batch of pesto and then portioning it into little jars for freezing. For a quick weeknight meal just defrost in the refrigerator overnight, boil up a pot of pasta the next evening, and enjoy!

Low fat vegan basil pesto on linguine.
Serve oil-free pesto over pasta for a simple but delicious meal!

FAQs

What is Aquafaba?

Oh yes, aquafaba. The great, strange component in many a vegan chocolate souffle. This shiny, viscous liquid shares many of the properties of oil (it's flavorsome and full of body) but without all that . . . you know . . . saturated fat. I promise, whether you're following a strict no-oil diet or just trying to cut back, you're going to love this oil-free vegan pesto!

Aquafaba is a fancy word for the liquid in a can of chickpeas. So the next time you open a can of chickpeas be sure to save the aquafaba! You can incorporate it into all sorts of recipes as an oil substitute. It also makes a great egg replacement and can even be whipped like egg whites.

Do I have to use basil?

In addition to basil, pesto can be made with a variety of greens and herbs including spinach, arugula, and parsley. However, if you want to replace the basil, my choice would be cilantro, since it has such a fresh and distinctive flavor.

Do I have to use pine nuts?

Pine nuts are a bit pricey, so if you want to replace them you could try almost any kind of nut. My favorites are walnuts or almonds. If you want to keep this nut-free, you can make it with sunflower seeds or a bit of tahini.

Is pesto healthy?

Most of the ingredients in a classic pesto are healthy. Basil, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon are all full of good things. However, traditional pesto has a lot of oil and Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (which is not even vegetarian because they contain rennet!). So if if you want something that's lighter and vegan, my oil-free pesto is a great choice!

Is store-bought pesto vegan?

Most store-bought pesto contains cheese, which, as I mentioned above, isn't even vegetarian. Although you can sometimes now find jars of pesto that are labeled as Vegan, I don't usually like the taste of them. Thankfully pesto is so easy to make from scratch!

Jar of homemade vegan oil-free pesto.
The best vegan pesto!

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📖 Recipe

Vegan pesto in a jar.

Quick Oil-Free Vegan Pesto

If you're looking for an Oil-free Vegan Pesto that doesn't skimp on flavor and richness, then I have a solution for you. This classic pesto recipe substitutes nutritional yeast for the parmesan and aquafaba for the oil. Bump up the nutrition with spinach and the brightness with lemon juice, and you have an absolutely decadent vegan pesto.
4.75 from 44 votes
Print Recipe Share on Facebook Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Condiment, Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 to 8
Calories 73 kcal

Equipment

Cuisinart 8 Cup Food Proces...Shop on Amazon
Food Processor
12" Stone Frying Pan by Oze...Shop on Amazon
skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups tightly packed fresh basil (see notes for frozen)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup aquafaba
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • fresh cracked pepper

Optional

  • 1 teaspoon salt
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Heat a skillet on medium. Lightly roast pine nuts until golden brown (or buy pre-roasted pine nuts and skip this step). Set aside to cool 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Place the basil, spinach, and pine nuts in the food processor and blend to combine.
  • Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, and black pepper to the food processor. Blend again.
  • Open the top of the food processor and slowly add the aquafaba with the food processor running. (Or skip this step and add aquafaba in previous step.)
  • Serve immediately over pasta or roasted vegetables. OR store in an air-tight container up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
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Notes

  • 4 cups of tightly packed fresh basil is just a tad less than 3 oz. If you buy a big 3oz container of basil just use that and you won't have to measure.
  • If you don't have fresh basil, you can use a mixture of frozen basil and spinach, though the consistency might change slightly.
  • The ratio of spinach to basil is not set in stone. Feel free to use just basil and no spinach, or an equal amount of spinach and basil. I don't recommend using more spinach than basil, as you will start to lose flavor.
  • The pine nuts can be substituted for any kind of nuts or seeds you prefer, but walnuts, almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds will work best.
  • Save the chickpeas from your aquafaba and add them to your pasta or save for another dish.
  • Nutritional info is calculated for 6 portions.

Nutrition

Calories: 73kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 396mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 1784IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
Keyword oil free pesto, oil free vegan pesto, pesto
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram @no_sweat_vegan or #nosweatvegan!

Meal Planning Tips

Did you try this recipe? Have a question? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you ASAP!

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Comments

    4.75 from 44 votes (36 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Asha says

    October 30, 2020 at 9:31 pm

    5 stars
    That’s genius to sub out the oil for aquafaba. I am not oil-free but have been cutting way back on oil. I used a little oil along with the aquafaba and water. It was so delicious next time I will try without the oil. I didn’t have enough basil so I used basil, parsley and cilantro (what I had in the garden).

    Thank you! Look forward to trying more of your recipes. 👍

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      November 01, 2020 at 11:29 am

      Thanks and I'm so glad you liked it. It's definitely a versatile recipe. I also love making pesto with cilantro!

      Reply
  2. Laura says

    January 25, 2021 at 7:17 pm

    5 stars
    Yum!! I thought I had to go without pesto if I want to avoid oil.... which made me kind of sad. So I am super happy to have found this recipe!

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      January 26, 2021 at 8:47 am

      Yes! I felt the same way when I created this recipe. I'm so glad you liked it!!

      Reply
      • Melissa says

        January 31, 2021 at 11:05 pm

        Can I use my vitamix blender? I don't have a food processor...

        Reply
        • Julianne Lynch says

          February 01, 2021 at 7:42 am

          I haven't used a Vitamix for this recipe, but I think you should be able to use it. Let me know if you try it!

          Reply
      • Salette Andrews says

        April 05, 2021 at 10:31 am

        5 stars
        Fantastic! My husband and I each had several helpings!

        Reply
        • Julianne Lynch says

          April 05, 2021 at 12:01 pm

          Wonderful! I'm so glad you liked it. And if you have leftovers or double the batch it also freezes really well.

          Reply
    • Karen says

      April 26, 2022 at 8:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is my go to pesto recipe...thank you its delicious!!

      Reply
      • Julianne Lynch says

        April 27, 2022 at 6:18 am

        Wonderful! I'm so glad you like it!!

        Reply
    • Geri says

      September 25, 2022 at 5:24 am

      We tried this recipe and it tastes nice... Missed toasting the pine nuts so maybe that's why the flavor was compromised a bit. I still love it just getting a kick from no calories from oil, so yay! We will try it with salmon this evening 🙂

      Reply
      • Julianne Lynch says

        September 26, 2022 at 8:42 am

        Great! I'm glad you liked it.

        Reply
  3. Krystal Spears says

    February 27, 2021 at 10:37 am

    Hello, just curious if you know what I could substitute for the nutritional yeast? I thought maybe a little white miso? Thanks and love your page!

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      February 27, 2021 at 11:00 am

      You could definitely try white miso paste. I haven't tried that, but I think there's a similar flavor profile. Alternatively, you could just leave the nutritional yeast out and see what happens. Thanks for asking!

      Reply
  4. Bev Bayley-Smith says

    July 12, 2021 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    Wonderful pesto recipe. So happy to find it. It is going in regular rotation at my house.

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      July 13, 2021 at 6:14 am

      Great! I'm so glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting!

      Reply
  5. Kimberly Ann Pierce says

    July 21, 2021 at 2:24 am

    How loosely do you recommend "packing" the basil to measure it out?

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      July 21, 2021 at 5:50 am

      I would pack it more tightly than loosely. Just pack it in, pressing it down, until the cup is full. If you want to weigh it, I think it comes out to about 3 oz of Fresh basil for 4 cups. (3 oz doesn't sound like a lot, but it is!) I will add a note to the recipe card. Thanks for asking!

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        August 26, 2021 at 2:22 am

        This came out so good! I increased the garlic by 2 times so 6 cloves. Everything was homegrown (basil, kale, and garlic). Thank you for the aqufaba substitute.

        Reply
        • Julianne Lynch says

          August 26, 2021 at 1:27 pm

          Sounds delicious! The amount of garlic is always up to personal preference, so increase away. 🙂

          Reply
  6. Katherine says

    August 25, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is seriously AMAZING! I have made it so many times -- anytime a recipe calls for pesto, I sub theirs for this one. I've used it on pasta, buddha bowls, as a dip, etc. My favorite way to use it was on tempeh pesto sandwiches-seriously so good. I just love how healthy and flavorful this recipe is, so thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      August 25, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Wow! Tempeh pesto sandwiches sound amazing. I'll have to try that!! Thanks for the lovely comment!

      Reply
  7. Brian says

    September 19, 2021 at 1:25 am

    5 stars
    So good! Best oil free pesto recipe I’ve tried!

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      September 19, 2021 at 9:23 am

      Wow! Thanks! Such a nice compliment. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  8. christina Barbieri says

    September 03, 2024 at 12:10 am

    5 stars
    Made this tonight. It was really good. I used it as a spread on my sandwich. Would definately make this again.

    Reply
    • Julianne Lynch says

      September 03, 2024 at 8:25 am

      Great! I'm so glad you liked it!

      Reply
Julianne, founder of No Sweat Vegan.

Hi, I'm Julianne! A dedicated home chef for over 20 years and a vegan recipe developer since 2020. I love creating simple and comforting vegan food for the whole family. Most of my recipes are quick, Whole-Foods Plant-Based, and easy on the budget. Thanks for stopping by!

You can also find me at AirFryerVeg.com.

More about me →

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