Dairy Free Pesto
This dairy free pesto is so rich and full of flavour no-one will even realise the cheese is missing. Truly! Your cheese loving friends will be none the wiser because this pesto still has that lovely cheesy taste.
What does a basic pesto sauce contain?
Pesto has its roots in Liguria, Italy, originating in the capital city of Genoa. This is why it’s also known as Pesto Genovese or Pesto alla Genovese. But to call it the latter, the ingredients used must have European Union (Denominazione d’Origine Protetta) DOP status.
Traditionally this sauce is made with the sweet Genovese basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and a mix of two hard cheeses – pecorino (sheep’s milk cheese) and parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan). In my humble opinion, it’s the most delectable pasta sauce ever.
However, many people want to skip on the cheese for a variety of reasons. And that means a dairy free pesto. The traditional pesto tastes sweet, cheesy, and rich, with a hint of garlic. The cheese can’t simply be omitted without significantly changing the flavour profile.
Thankfully, there are two ingredients that address this – shiro/white miso and nutritional yeast.
Ingredients For Dairy Free Pesto
Olive oil is one of the predominant flavours in this recipe and as such, it’s important to choose a good one. Any favoured brand will be fine but do always go for an extra virgin. This type of olive oil is not processed and is highest in antioxidant and vitamin plus mineral content. It’s also delicious!
No amount of garlic is going to hide a sub-standard olive oil in this sauce, so choose wisely.
- Basil – The number one ingredient. Bright green, plump looking leaves with a strong aroma is perfect for this pesto.
- Olive oil – As mentioned above, go for an extra virgin olive oil for the added health benefits and clean, crisp taste.
- Pine nuts – These help to make this pesto luscious and creamy.
- Nutritional Yeast – The secret ingredient that gives this dairy free pesto its cheesy flavour. Nutritional yeast is now widely available in most supermarkets and usually found in the health food aisle.
- White / Shiro miso – This gives sweetness, which is usually provided by the cheeses in the traditional recipe.
- Garlic – Adds sweetness and pungency to the sauce.
- Salt – Helps to enhance the flavour of the other ingredients.
This simple sauce is rich in nutrients and will go with just about everything. It’s great mixed through pasta, dolloped onto eggs, it’s divine when spread on toast and is delicious straight out of the jar!
How To Make This Dairy Free Pesto
Not having cheese in this recipe does affect the texture slightly. It can result in a pesto that’s pasty smooth. To avoid this, blend until just combined.
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems then wash and pat dry.
- Add the garlic, miso, pine nuts and a handful of basil leaves to a food processor and blend on high for a few seconds.
- Scrape down the sides of the blender then add the nutritional yeast, another big handful of basil, half the olive oil, and the salt. Blend again to combine.
- Add the remaining basil and olive oil and blend a final time to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pour into a jar and keep in the fridge. Will keep for 7 – 10 days.
- Enjoy over pasta, use as a dip, dollop on roast vegetables or poached eggs.
This will keep in the fridge for 7 – 10 days or can also be frozen. Be sure to drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the pesto each time you take some from the jar. This ensures it will stay fresh and a beautiful shade of bright green.
And if you want something delicious to dip in it, try these polenta chips! They’re a perfect match.
FAQ
Most store-bought traditional-style pesto will contain dairy. Checking the label or buying a vegan pesto is the only way to ensure it doesn’t.
Bitterness can result from the olive oil chosen, which is why selecting an oil you know, and love is important. It can also occur from heating the pesto at high heat. Basil contains volatile oils that degrade when heated. This produces muted flavours and a sour, somewhat bitter taste. Pesto is best used raw and mixed through warm foods. This helps to retain both its nutrients and flavour.
Historically, recipes for pesto or pesto-style sauces were made with a variety of ingredients, many even without basil. Some of the earliest found were in the late 19th Century. This changed in the post war period and the pesto we know today became the standard recipe. As outlined in the post above though, an actual Ligurian pesto must contain certain DOP ingredients to be called Pesto Genovese.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of basil leaves only, roughly 2 cups
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 tsp shiro (white) miso
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems then wash and pat dry.
- Add the garlic, miso, pine nuts and a handful of basil leaves to a food processor and blend on high for a few seconds.
- Scrape down the sides of the blender then add the nutritional yeast, another big handful of basil, half the olive oil, and the salt. Blend again to combine.
- Add the remaining basil and olive oil then blend one last time to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Pour into a jar and keep in the fridge. Will keep for 7 – 10 days. Also, ensure you drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top of the pesto each time you take some from the jar. This helps it stay fresh and retain its beautiful shade of bright green.
- Enjoy over pasta, use as a dip, dollop on roast vegetables or poached eggs.
Notes
Nutrition
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Oh wow! This pesto looks wonderful with that vibrant color. I love how you made it dairy free.
Thanks, Tara!
Husband can’t have lactose anymore so grateful for alterations like this one!
I honestly don’t think you miss the dairy in this version! Hope he enjoys it.
I have yet to find a dairy free pesto! My family will definitely be able to enjoy this! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure Whitney!
Loved the additions of miso and yeast flakes. I have made a dairy-free pesto before but by simply omitting the cheese. Adding these two ingredients makes up for the lost cheesy, umami flavour you would get from the Parmesan. I would recommend everyone to absolutely try and use those. Luckily I had some in the kitchen already and with all the basil harvest I have right now, this was the perfect recipe to find!
They definitely make a big difference Irena, so happy to hear you enjoyed it.
finally found a delicious Dairy Free Pesto that doesn’t break apart and is still creamy. We really enjoyed this with our pasta and shrimps.
So glad to hear that Nancy!
this pesto looks so amazing! can’t wait to test this recipe out! Thanks
Thanks, Imsen! I hope you enjoy it.