Best ever blender pesto (vegan & paleo)

So easy, delicious, and versatile.

Pesto made in the Vibe Blender System comes together in less than a minute and tastes worlds better than anything store-bought because it’s so fresh. It’s the perfect recipe if you grow your own basil or have a lot to use up at once. Homemade blender pesto can be a dip, a sauce, or a spread and pairs wonderfully with so many dishes. Besides pasta, it’s a great addition to many summery recipes, like potato or pasta salad, grilled fish, or chicken, roasted veggies and so much more. 

By making your own pesto, you can replace the cheaper vegetable oils in store-bought versions with heart-healthy olive oil, avoid preservatives and boost the ratio of whole-food ingredients to oil. Plus, of course, homemade pesto tastes fresher and far more delicious than anything you could buy.

Homemade pesto is forgiving and very versatile. Make it the classic way with basil and pine nuts (pictured), or any number of other combinations that suit your budget and dietary requirements. Variations with all sorts of nuts and leafy greens are delicious. Another traditional ingredient of pesto is parmesan. Simply, omit it to make this recipe vegan friendly and dairy free. Once you’ve made the classic basil pesto recipe, try changing it up!

Here are some of our favourite variations:

• Swap out the pine nuts for any nut of your choice. We particularly like cashews, almonds, and walnuts.
• Make nut-free pesto with pine nuts or by using toasted pepitas.
• Use a different herb. Try replacing the basil with parsley or replace half the basil with arugula (rocket), kale, or baby spinach.
• In place of parmesan, you can use any Italian-style hard cheese.

Homemade pesto can be a left on the chunky side or blended to a uniform green paste. It really comes down to personal preferences or what you’re using it for. If you prefer it on the smoother side, just add more liquid – oil, or a dash of water to the blender jug and blend for a further 10 seconds or until your desired consistency.  

This recipe makes enough to toss through a large pot of pasta and then some. If you don’t use it all on the day, it will keep, stored in a sealed glass container for up to a week in the fridge.

WATCH HOW HERE

INGREDIENTS

½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
3 cups fresh basil leaves
Juice of half a lemon
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper freshly ground

METHOD

1.   Rinse the basil and pat dry.
2.   Add all the ingredients to the Vibe Blender jug in the order listed. (Liquid ingredients must be added first).
3.   Insert the tamper into the lid. Blend on ‘nut’ mode for 20 seconds, pushing the ingredients down towards the blades and rotating the tamp.
4.   Stop and scrape down the side and under the blades to release basils leaves that may be caught.
5.   Blend for a further 5 seconds or until your desired consistency.
6.   Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to one week. To prevent your pesto from browning in the fridge, pour a layer of olive oil over the pesto before sealing.
 

Note: a delicious way to serve this pesto is over salmon. Spread a thin layer over each piece of fish and bake at 200ºC for about 10 minutes. Finish it off with a quick grill for a minute or two and serve with salad or vegetables for a delicious, healthy and incredibly fast weeknight dinner.

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