The BEST Vegan Pesto

Been meaning to post this recipe for awhile....but today is finally the day! This pesto is an absolute HIT with my family and I make it quite often when I have fresh basil I need to use up. It's the perfect mix of garlicy, creamy, and lemony to add to a variety of meals! This recipe makes about 1-1 & 1/2 cups of sauce I would say...one batch was just the perfect amount to coat a full box of cooked pasta that I made below. I also love using this sauce on pizza, wraps, sandwiches or just to dip in bread.

The pasta I made here just contains the pesto sauce, grilled peppers that I chopped into small pieces, sun-dried tomatoes and sautéed Lightlife chicken strips on top. It turned out so delicious! You could also make this cold and serve it as a pesto pasta salad.. it's so versatile. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!

Vegan Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)

-2 cups fresh basil

-1 lemon, juiced

-3 tbsp nutritional yeast

-3-4 cloves of fresh garlic

-1/2 cup olive oil

-1/4 tsp salt & pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, add the walnuts and fresh basil. Pulse/blend them for 10-20 seconds until it is a small crumble texture.

2. Add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper. If using a blender, add the olive oil in right now as well. If using a food processor, begin blending on low and add the olive oil through the top compartment while blending. This will allow for the olive oil to incorporate evenly.

3. Blend for 30-40 seconds or until everything is mixed into a smooth pesto, you can blend more or less depending on if you want your pesto thicker and chunkier vs. runnier and smoother.

4. Once done blending, you are done! Add this to pasta, pizzas, wraps, salads, bread or anything of your choice! This will keep best in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4

days.