Vitamix Pesto: Why aren't we making this every week?
Making pesto seems a lot harder than it actually is to make.
The trick is to have the right greens to oil ratio and to have a strong blender (like a Vitamix).
Throw all of the ingredients into the container, use the tamper to push them down, and in less than a minute, you have pesto!
This pesto features kale, but you really can make it with any green (traditionally it’s basil).
Go grab some greens and make some pesto. You’ll want to put it on everything.
Pesto, presto! in our Vitamix
There’s a really lovely tradition in my family. All of the women gather to cook for big life events.
So when my brother did a vegetarian barn wedding this past summer, we decided to cater the appetizers. (Dinner was wood-grilled pizza in a traveling oven. Yum!)
Like most families, there are some members who are better cooks than others. But my Mom and her two sisters have always been at the top of the list.
My Aunt, Debbie, and her partner, Elizabeth, are especially known for their small bites. They make their own cheeses and have chickens at their home in Seattle (so you know they are serious foodies). Kale Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms was the appetizer they chose to make.
Since our gathering was in Minneapolis, Debbie & Elizabeth didn’t have any of their gear. Which means it was a perfect time to show them what an amazing tool a Vitamix can be in the kitchen.
We threw an entire bag of kale (including stems) into the Vitamix, poured in the olive oil and other ingredients and pressed start. They both watched in awe as I tamped down an obscene amount of kale in less than a minute. Pesto, presto!
Those greens were no match for the power of our Vitamix!
They stuffed their mushrooms and had plenty of time to spare for kitchen assistance.
The pesto turned out so well, we figured we’d do a vegan version on our site. So here it is, super easy, super flavorful, and super versatile. Vegan pesto. So, so good.
We used the 32 oz container because we wanted to make a small batch.
Pesto really can be used for anything. Stuff some mushrooms, top your pasta, make a pesto mayo for your sandwiches, top a pizza, marinate some veggies. It tastes amazing in all of its forms.
Go make a giant batch and use it on everything for the next week!
Recipe
Pesto
A versatile, flavorful and healthy sauce: Vegan pesto!
Basil, Garlic, Kale, Nutritional Yeast, Olive oil, Pine Nuts,Ingredients:
- kale - 2 cups (134 g)
- basil - 1/2 cup (13 g)
- garlic - 2 cloves
- olive oil - 1/4 cup (60 mL)
- nutritional yeast - 1 Tbsp. (9 g)
- pine nuts - 1/4 cup (34 g)
- salt & pepper - to taste
Instructions:
BLEND
- Add ingredients to Vitamix container in order listed above
- Blend on Level 4 for 60-90 seconds
- Use the tamper to push ingredients from the corners into the blade
- Keep some texture
- Serve on pasta, sandwiches, veggies, etc.
- Snap a pic and tag lifeisNOYOKE
- Enjoy!
Useful tips for Pesto
Store for up to two weeks in an airtight container in your fridge. Put it in little jars and give pesto as a gift. :)
Toss on pasta and add sautéed mushrooms, roasted pine nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes.
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What is nutritional yeast? And what is its purpose in this, or any other, recipe? Never heard of it, so I’m curious!
Nutritional yeast is a vegan condiment in powdered form and a ready replacement for parmesan cheese that is packed with nutrients like B vitamins and protein (hence the name) that provides a boost of umami flavor.
I substituted an avocado for the oil and it came out super smooth and tasty.
love this ideal!! I do not like using oil..thank you
I don’t know why I haven’t thought about nutritional yeast in pesto either! I grow a lot of basil in the summer and most of it is turned into pesto and then frozen for use in the winter and early spring. Another great pesto is parsley and walnuts. The flavor is great and it lasts great in the fridge as parsley doesn’t oxidize like basil does. And if you are buying herbs, parsley is a lot more accessible. I have also added in carrot tops in smaller amounts. When my carrots are growing in the garden, I have an abundance of carrot tops and they go into everything. Thanks for all of the recipes and tips!
Hi. Do you substitute the pine nuts for walnuts? Pine nuts are so expensive for me. Can you send me your recipe? 3reachteresa at gmial
Any suggestions on how to adjust the recipe to make it oil free?
someone above uses avocado instead of oil
I have never made pesto but I shall pick up basil with my Kale this week and try it.
Looks delicious!
Life is better when there’s pesto in the fridge. 🙂
Looks delicious and nutritious! Can I make this in the new Vitamix ONE? Mine arrives Sunday!
I’ve been making this pesto ever few weeks. Sometimes I use spinach and am thinking about branching out and trying steamed asparagus. I had asparagus pesto at a restaurant once and have been trying to recreate it.
There are a few of your recipes I can’t live without. I started with the queso and have been falling down the Life Is No Yoke rabbit hole ever since. I’m not vegan, but try to eat low saturated fat and low cholesterol. Your recipes are always delicious and I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Thanks!
How much parmesan should I substitute with?
Thanks!
What if I don’t have nutritional yeast?
Hi May, Sam from LINY here–
Get some! It’s great for adding flavor and giving it that pesto-y texture.
Or… try it without! And if you do, let us know how it goes 🙂
I can attest: No nutritional yeast and it will be yummy still. I have to make pesto without salt which means no Parmesan too since it is super salty. Pesto without cheese is still delicious.
I don’t know why but I never even thought of adding nutritional yeast to my pesto. I use nutritional yeast in everything (I buy large flake nutritional yeast in a 2.5 # bucket for crying out loud). Why I haven’t thought to put it in my pesto is beyond me!?!
Thanks for this super umami fix to my no salt pesto!
This is a better fix than a tiny bit of balsamic…but I think I might make basil, nutritional yeast, garlic, and olive oil pesto with a touch of lemon with peel. Now doesn’t that sound good?