Walnut pesto

Years ago, I was on holiday in the US and browsing in a book shop when I came across Vegan with a Vengeance. Something about it appealed to me, and I’m so glad I bought it. This walnut pesto recipe is very lightly adapted from it, and it’s our favourite quick-and-easy dinner option.

2012 update: For years we only ate this pesto with pasta, and then one day it occurred to me that I could freeze the pesto in mini muffin trays. We call them pucks of pesto, and now we use pesto in all kinds of things: as a spread on sandwiches, in wraps, in soup…

 

Walnut pesto 

Ingredients

Makes enough for at least four family dinners, giving you plenty for the freezer.

• 2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted
• 4 oz basil leaves (the amount we use varies—we just buy four packs, and currently the basil we are buying comes in 1 oz packs)
• 12 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil, or more to taste
• 1 cup nutritional yeast
• 2–3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)

Method

• Combine the walnuts, garlic and salt in a food processor, and process until the walnuts are finely chopped but not yet a paste.
• Lift the lid and inhale. It’s awesome!
• Add the basil, oil, nutritional yeast and lemon and process again until everything is mixed together.
• Add additional oil if necessary.

Tags: Freezer-friendly, Gluten-free, Quick-and-easy, Vegan