• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
freebie! download my top 8 dessert recipe ebook

Join my newsletter for latest recipes!

Erin Lives Whole

Healthy Eats + Delicious Treats

  • Recipe Index
    • Course
      • Appetizers
      • Breakfast
      • Lunch & Dinner
      • Dessert
      • Soup
      • Sides
      • Drinks
      • Snacks
      • Sauces & Dips
    • Dessert Type
      • Bars & Balls
      • Breads & Muffins
      • Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Candy
      • Cookies
      • Frozen
      • Pie & Cobbler
      • Other
    • Diet
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • Nut-Free
      • Paleo Friendly
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
    • Method
      • 30 Minute or Less
      • Air Fryer
      • Grill
      • Instant Pot
      • Meal Prep
      • No Bake
      • One Pot/Pan
      • Oven
      • Stove Top
    • Season
      • Fall
      • Holiday
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
    • Recipe Filter
    • All Recipes
  • Ebooks
  • Shop
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
  • Subscribe to receive latest recipes

    Join my newsletter for latest recipes!

  • Browse by Diet
    • Gluten-Free
    • Dairy-Free
    • Nut-Free
    • Paleo Friendly
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch & Dinner
  • Drinks
  • Snacks
  • Dessert
  • Appetizers
Home By Meal Lunch and Dinner

Dairy Free Pesto

★★★★★ 17 Reviews Recipe Print
gf df p v vg
By: Erin6/18/19

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

dairy-free pesto

An easy dairy-free pesto recipe made with nutritional yeast, basil, olive oil, and nuts, and is perfect as a pasta sauce, on chicken, or on your favorite pizza. You’re going to be trying to find ways to include this vegan pesto sauce on everything!

dairy-free pesto

Pesto is literally one of the best sauces known to man-kind.

I like to think of it as a miracle worker because I haven’t ever tried a food that was covered in pesto that I really didn’t like. Old bread? Smear some pesto. Bland zucchini noodles? Pesto.

This dairy-free pesto is perfect for someone who is on an anti-inflammatory diet or can’t have any dairy because we use other delicious flavors to give it that authentic pesto taste but without the dairy.

It’s also vegan and paleo approved, so anyone with a certain diet is able to enjoy this pesto. Naturally it is soy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free, and it can easily be made nut-free, too.

Pine-nut are also used in this recipe to help add some major flavor and texture to this pesto, but you can also use any type of seed as well.

This best pesto recipe is simple, flavorful, and full of good for you wholesome ingredients, which basically gives you the right to slather it on everything. Not kidding.

I love cooking with pesto so much, so I have to share my Pesto Baked Pasta and One Sheet Pesto Chicken And Veggies recipes too.

basil in food processor

What’s in this dairy-free pesto?

We’ve got tons of fresh, flavorful ingredients in this dairy-free pesto. In fact, we used the basil from our backyard to make it even fresher, this is totally optional because most grocery stores offer fresh basil!

Ingredients in dairy-free pesto:

Basil – fresh basil is key for this recipe! The leaves will help give the pesto the perfect texture and the freshest flavor.

Nutritional yeast – don’t be frightened by the name! Nutritional yeast is just a deactivated strain of yeast that has a delicious parmesan flavor. It comes in yellow flakes and can be found in most grocery stores! I get mine at Whole Foods or on Amazon. **If you don’t want to use nutritional yeast, you can leave it out!

Lemon – adds the perfect bit of acid. Fresh lemon juice is best here!

Pine nuts – we used pine nuts in this recipe, but walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds would also work great!

Garlic – fresh garlic cloves gives this recipe a delicious flavor. You can also used jarred.

Olive oil – olive oil or avocado oil both work great! This helps give the pesto some fluidity.

Salt – every good pesto has a little bit of salt for flavor.

pine nuts and basil in food processor

How to make dairy-free pesto

Making dairy-free pesto is really easy to do. So easy that people who don’t even know how to cook could do it!

All you need to do is place all of your ingredients in a high powered blender, like a Vitamix, or a food processor. You turn the machine on, blend it up, scraping down the sides as needed, and there you have it!

Easy homemade dairy-free pesto in a minute.

basil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast in a food processor

What to eat pesto with

  • Use it on a toast as a spread, top with a poached egg, meat, or as a sandwich spread
  • Throw a few dollops into pasta to make a delicious pesto sauce
  • Mix a little into your scrambled eggs for some extra flavor
  • Serve it over grilled chicken, tenderloin, fish, or even tofu!
  • Add it to your favorite avocado toast.

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how it was! Also tag @erinliveswhole on Instagram and use the hashtag #erinliveswhole so I can see it and feature you!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

  • Vegan Buffalo Cream Sauce
  • Healthy BBQ Sauce
  • Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
pasta in a bowl with squash and pesto
dairy-free pesto
★★★★★ 4.9 from 17 reviews

Dairy Free Pesto

An easy dairy-free pesto recipe made with nutritional yeast, basil, olive oil, and nuts, and is perfect as a pasta sauce, on chicken, or on your favorite pizza. You’re going to be trying to find ways to include this vegan pesto sauce on everything!

Print Pin it Rate

Ingredients

  • 3 cups basil
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts (or other nut or seed like walnuts or pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional – can replace with parmesan cheese if not dairy free)

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender, like a vitamix.
  2. Process until well-combined and to desired texture, scraping down sides as needed.
  3. Taste and add additional lemon juice or salt if needed.
  4. Store in fridge for up to one week.
Author: Erin
dairy-free pesto

Did you make this?

Leave a comment below and tag @erinliveswhole on social media!

erinliveswhole

There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂

You May Also Like...

  • Vegan Chocolate Frosting
  • stack of banana bread
    Paleo Tahini Banana Bread (Gluten-free, dairy-free)
  • zucchini bread
    Paleo Zucchini Bread (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
  • berry crumble bar
    Berry Crumble Bars (Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan)
chocolate chip cookies
free ebook

get my free top 8 desserts ebook!

A dessert lover’s heaven – six healthier sweet treats all made with six ingredients or less!

download now

Join my newsletter for latest recipes!

Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love seeing what you made!

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Caitlin says

    Posted on 5/24 at 10:19 am

    Can it be frozen? I like to make large batches and freeze for easy meals.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 5/24 at 2:39 pm

      Hi Caitlin, yes of course!

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

erin in front of a building

Hey there!

I’m Erin. Creator of Erin Lives Whole, a food blog with delicious and easy healthy recipes that will leave you feeling good. We’ve got everything from wholesome baked goods to comforting savory dishes. I can’t wait to see what you whip up! Read More...

grocery lists

Shop My Grocery Downloads

Do you head to the grocery store and feel overwhelmed with all of the options? Well, I've created FIVE downloadable and printable grocery lists from five different and popular grocery stores. All of my absolute must haves from Whole Foods, Target, a regular grocer, Trader Joe's, and Costco!

Shop Now

Popular Posts

chickpea brownie on a tray

Chickpea Brownies

bite out of healthy cookie dough ball

Healthy Cookie Dough Balls

cauliflower wings on plate

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

pouring syrup on stack of oatmeal blender pancakes

Oatmeal Blender Pancakes

chocolate chip cookies

get my free top 8 desserts ebook!

A dessert lover’s heaven – six healthier sweet treats all made with six ingredients or less!

Download Now

Join my newsletter for latest recipes!

Trending Recipes

avocado corn salad

Avocado Corn Salad

cilantro lime shrimp on plate

Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Coconut Cauliflower Rice

paleo cookie skillet with ice cream

Healthy Cookie Skillet

banana bread muffin on a rack

Paleo Banana Bread Muffins

Featured On

good housekeeping logo
parade logo
feed feed logo
business insider logo
everyday health logo
country living logo
bar desserts
truffles
bar desserts
bar desserts
muffins
vanilla birthday cake with chocolate icing

Get latest updates To your inbox!

Back to Top
© 2023 Erin Lives Whole
  • Privacy Policy
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled