Basic Vegan Pesto with Garlic Oil

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A simple vegan pesto that's garlic-free and made with only 6 ingredients! Packed with sweet basil and garlic-y chives, and then brightened with a twist of lemon.

We're in the midst of summer, meaning lots of pool parties, picnics and fun in the sun — pretty much your favorite people, plus food! When I see a BBQ or potluck on my calendar, I feel ready to make an impressive recipe. You might think "impressive recipe" equates something complicated and time-consuming, but it's more about the beautiful combination of ingredients and flavors. A basic vegan pesto is just the thing to take a dish from basic to incredible. With just a spoonful, pesto adds so much flavor to baked chicken, fish, zoodles, tomato salads, salad dressings and pastas in no time, like in my Gluten-Free Pesto & Tomato Pasta recipe.Spontaneous potlucks, here we come!

This recipe isn't just for pesto lovers, but Paleo, vegan and low-FODMAP foodies alike. It's also super easy — made by blending 6 ingredients! It's creamy and made with NO garlic, NO cheese and NO nuts! And because it's super simple and tasty, it will have your tastebuds jumping for joy.

So grab a bunch of basil and let's make pesto! I love this sauce because it's refreshing, sweet and full of childhood memories. It reminds me of hot summer days in Modesto, CA when my sisters and I would help my dad BBQ in the back yard while my mom made a tomato and basil salad. The fact that these tomatoes were from our backyard garden made it even better. Her tomato salad was so simple: sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and then finished with chopped basil and garlic salt.

Today, we're turning it up a notch and combining basil with chives, olive oil, lemon and garlic oil for flavors that explode in your mouth! As an Italian, it was unthinkable to think pesto could be made successful without parmesan and garlic. Although parmesan, garlic and pine nuts are left out, it'll surprise you with bright lemon, and nutty hemp seeds and savory herbs! With a good garlic oil you'll still get the garlic-y, robust flavors, but without digesting the fructans. These are the bothersome carbohydrates when eating whole garlic, if you are sensitive to garlic and onion.

I also provide the option to add in (dairy-free) cheesy nutritional yeast. You can make the pesto with the first six ingredients and taste before deciding to add the yeast.

Enjoy this beautiful sauce that will add a fresh, summery taste to your plates!

Print here: Basic Vegan Pesto With Garlic Oil

Prep time: 00:05 Cook time: 00:00 Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 c basil 1/2 c chives 2 tbsp olive oil 1/2 lemon 1/2 tsp garlic oil 3 tbs pine nuts 2 tbs nutritional yeast add salt to taste

Recipe Steps

1. Roughly chop the basil and chives, and put food processor.

2. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, garlic oil, pine nuts and yeast. Pulse until consistency is creamy and smooth. Taste and add salt if needed.

3. Use on chicken, fish, pizzas, salads or as a spread for appetizers/crackers.