This is my favourite dairy free basil pesto recipe. Made with just five simple ingredients, this homemade vegan pesto is fresh, flavourful, and so easy to make. You’ll never want to buy store-bought again!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so good – my sis is vegan and I used your recipe to make dinner for her and she loved it – cheers! – gavin
I totally get that pesto is one of those ingredients that seem like a lot of work to make from scratch, so when cooking at home, it ends up being something that is store bought for convenience and ease. But I am here to tell you that it is so much easier to make than you think, and once you have experienced the freshness of homemade, you’ll find it very difficult to go back to the jar.
For me, making basil pesto became a necessity because most traditional recipes are not dairy free. For years I struggled to find a vegan pesto in the supermarket so I just didn’t eat it. I let myself forget just how good pesto can be.
Now I know traditionally pesto is made by hand using a mortar and pestle, and if that’s the way you want to go, amazing. For me though, this is about being so quick and easy I can get it done after work without really thinking about he fact I’m making an effort. So I use a food processor.
Toss it with some pasta and you have the ultimate lazy dinner that was still made with intention.
Key Ingredients
This is what I call my base dairy free pesto recipe. I love so many variations of pesto, but this is the stock standard that you can use in any dish that calls for basil pesto.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Fresh basil – lots of fresh basil is what makes this a basil pesto (but I have also made spinach pesto before when I didn’t have basil!).
- Walnuts – this is my secret when it comes to pesto! I personally don’t like pine nuts so making pesto with walnuts is an absolute game changer for me, it’s so good. I’ve also used raw almonds and cashews and they all get the tick of approval from me!
- Garlic – I like a pesto with a good punch of garlic but if you’re sensitive to raw garlic, you can reduce the amount to your tastes.
- Lemon – gives the pesto that extra zingy freshness.
- Olive oil – as this is one of the few ingredients, you want to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil that has a mild to medium flavour as it’s going to give you the best tasting pesto.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This is a quick and easy recipe if you have a food processor. A small blender would also work for this recipe.
Start by adding fresh basil leaves, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil to your food processor and blend together.
Scrape down the sides and drizzle in extra olive oil, just a little at a time as needed to get your desired consistency.
Using the food processor, you will also end up with a more creamy consistency of your pesto. If you like a more chunky and loose consistency, then use the pulse setting and stop once it reaches the texture you like.
Storage Instructions: Homemade pesto can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for about a week.
What to Serve with Vegan Pesto
The fresh, nutty, garlicky flavour of pesto is so versatile it can be used in so many different recipes. I love having some in the fridge for when I want a quick addition of flavour to any meal.
Here are just a few serving ideas:
- On pizza! Instead of the usual tomato sauce, use pesto instead.
- Make a simple pesto pasta by tossing the pesto through your favourite cooked pasta with a little extra drizzle of olive oil and a big squeeze of lemon juice.
- Spread on toasted bread as a super easy appetiser – like these prosciutto crostini!
- Serve with air fryer chicken as a sauce.
- Spread on a sandwich with your favourite veggies.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Pine nuts are traditional (I just don’t personally like them!), but you can also use almonds, cashews or even sunflower seeds for a nut-free version. Each will slightly change the flavour and texture but all are delicious.
Yes you can. Either use a blender instead (you may need to stop and scrape down the sides more often). Otherwise, traditionally pesto is made with a mortar and pestle, which gives a slightly chunkier texture.
Yes! Freeze pesto in ice cube trays, then transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More homemade sauces:
How To Make Chimichurri
Dairy Free Tzatziki
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
Dairy Free Basil Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves packed
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- squeeze of lemon to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add the basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and ¼ cup of the olive oil to a food processor. Blend until the mixture begins to come together.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then continue blending. Slowly drizzle in the remaining tablespoon of oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or lemon juice, if needed.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and has been updated in 2025 with new photos and more helpful information. The recipe remains the same.
Charlotte says
Can I freeze this recipe too?
Kelsey says
We have made this several times and love it.. the walnuts give it a nutty yummy flavor! 🙂
Sally says
So happy you love the recipe Kelsey!
Carol says
How do you store fresh made pesto?
Sally says
Hi Carol, fresh pesto can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for about a week.
Gavin says
SO good – my sis is vegan and I used your recipe to make dinner for her and she loved it – cheers!
Sally says
So happy your sister loved it!
Sylvie says
It looks so fresh and delicious, and I LOVE that its vegan – always looking for new vegan recipes I can make for my vegan friends 🙂 I would just pour that pesto over anything!!
Sally says
Thanks Sylvie!
Jaimie @ Nosh says
This looks so fresh and vibrant, can’t wait to try on a pizza! Thank you for sharing 😀
Sally says
On pizza is my favourite!