Ingredients
- 60 g fresh basil leaves (a large bunch)
- 50 g pine nuts, lightly toasted (or walnuts or cashews)
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 garlic clove
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 120 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to cover
- ½ tsp sea salt
Optional
- 30 g Parmesan or pecorino, finely grated, instead of or as well as the yeast flakes (not plant-based)
- A handful of spinach or rocket, for extra greens
Method
- Toast the nuts: toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, shaking often, until golden. Leave to cool.
- Blend: put the basil, nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon zest and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Add the oil: with the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until you have a loose, bright green paste. Add the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and lemon.
- Store: spoon into a clean jar and cover with a thin layer of olive oil to stop it darkening. Keep in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months.
- Use it: stir through pasta or courgetti, spoon over soups and roasted vegetables, spread on our Golden Linseed Loaf, or loosen with extra lemon and oil for a dressing.
Why it's good for you: Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast with a natural cheesy, savoury flavour. It's a source of protein and B vitamins, and many brands are fortified with vitamin B12, which makes it especially valuable for anyone eating a plant-based diet (check the label). Fresh basil is rich in protective oils and vitamin K, and olive oil and pine nuts add healthy fats. Because pesto is eaten raw, all of its goodness stays intact.
Good to know: Choose a nutritional yeast fortified with B12 if you eat a plant-based diet. Pine nuts are a tree nut; use sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
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