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    Home » Recipes » Condiments, Sauce, Dips

    Homemade Oregano Pesto | Vegan

    Published Aug 14, 2023 · by Jacqueline Piper · 2 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    50 shares
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    oregano pesto in a bowl
    oregano pesto in a bowl
    oregano pesto in a bowl
    oregano pesto in a bowl

    Oregano Pesto From Scratch | Make your own homemade oregano pesto sauce with fresh herbs. This easy recipe will bring so much flavor to your dishes. Use your homemade oregano pesto for pasta, grilled chicken, or roasted vegetables.

    You can also make pesto without a food processor, which yields a chunkier texture. This oregano pesto recipe is both nut-free and dairy-free and freezes well making it great for meal prep.

    Pesto in a small bowl.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • What is nutritional yeast?
    • Do I have to use nutritional yeast?
    • Instructions
    • How to make oregano pesto in a food processor
    • How to make pesto without a food processor
    • How to chop ingredients into very small pieces
    • Tips for Making Homemade Pesto
    • What to use oregano pesto with
    • Storage
    • Recipes FAQs
    • Recipe

    This easy-to-follow homemade pesto recipe combines the vibrant flavor of fresh oregano with the creaminess of a classic pesto sauce, all while staying dairy-free. The result is a versatile condiment that can effortlessly elevate your meals.

    Try this dairy-free oregano pesto recipe with your favorite pasta shape for an easy weeknight dinner idea.

    I add this fresh pesto to my cold Tuna Pesto Pasta and it's amazing - so flavorful.

    Making pesto from scratch seems like a difficult task but it's not. It takes minutes in a food processor and you can even make a very rustic version with a knife and cutting board if you like a chunkier texture to your pesto as I do.

    The flavor is herby and rich, a little cheesy, a little nutty and the oil helps you take in all of the flavors.

    Ingredients

    See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

    • Fresh Oregano - You'll need a bunch of fresh oregano leaves for this recipe. I grow them, and they grow like wild so I have a lot. I used the leaves from 8 very long stalks. (a good handful of leaves.)
    • Oil - I use a 50-50 mix of extra virgin olive oil and mild oil like canola or sunflower. You can use all extra virgin olive oil instead.
    • Sunflower seeds: I use these instead of nuts in this recipe.
    • Garlic clove - For flavor, fresh is best.
    • Lemon juice - I use fresh lemon juice because I like having fresh lemons on hand for lemon water or Greek potatoes. You can use bottled lemon juice.
    • Salt and pepper - For seasoning. The usual.
    • Nutritional yeast - You can make a vegan pesto by using nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese.

    Substitutions

    You're going to love this dairy-free pesto recipe. You can make several substitutions, making it easier to use what you prefer or have on hand.

    • Can I use a different herb besides oregano? Instead of using all oregano leaves, you can make a basil oregano pesto by using half oregano leaves and half basil leaves. You can also use half oregano and half arugula for an oregano arugula pesto. Yum. You can also try spinach or kale.
    • What can I use instead of sunflower seeds? Feel free to use the traditional pine nut, or you can try another nut or seed such as almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds.
    • Do I have to use nutritional yeast? No of course not, you can use the standard Parmesan cheese, or try Pecorino Romano.

    What is nutritional yeast?

    Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast. Its flavor is somewhat reminiscent to cheese with a nutty background flavor, making it perfect for vegan dishes. I use nutritional yeast in this pesto recipe in place of Parmesan cheese.

    Do I have to use nutritional yeast?

    No, you can use the typical Parmesan cheese. If you're trying to keep it vegan try a vegan cheese product.

    I like to vary my diet and I now rarely eat meat and consume much less dairy than I used to. Nutritional yeast is a healthy ingredient with lots of B vitamins in it and I like to use it whenever I can.

    Pesto in a small bowl.

    Instructions

    Prep Tips

    • You can make this either by using a food processor, or by hand with a chef's knife and cutting board.
    • Wash and dry your herbs and pick the leaves off of the stems.

    You can make this recipe in a food processor or by hand with a knife and cutting board. I'll give instructions for both with step-by-step photos and a video for the food processor method.

    How to make oregano pesto in a food processor

    Ingredients for pesto in a food processor.
    1. First add the oregano leaves to the jar of a food processor.
    Ingredients for pesto in a food processor.
    1. Next, add the garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper, and a splash of oil.
    Pesto in a food processor.
    1. Pulse repeatedly to chop up the oregano leaves, sunflower seeds, and garlic clove, and start everything blending together.
    Pesto in a food processor.
    1. Stream the rest of the oil slowly, until you achieve the texture you like. I like a bit of a chunky pesto with texture. If you want a smooth pesto, then just keep blending.

    How to make pesto without a food processor

    To make the pesto by hand, you'll need a sharp knife and a chopping board.

    1. Mince the garlic as small as you can.
    2. Chop the sunflower seeds as small as you can.
    3. Carefully chop the oregano into the smallest pieces you can manage.
    4. Combine the chopped garlic, sunflower seeds and oregano with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and nutritional yeast. Stir. You'll naturally have a chunky texture to hand made pesto but I think that's great, it's the texture I prefer!

    How to chop ingredients into very small pieces

    When chopping the sunflowers seeds by hand for this recipe, it can be a bit tricky. Use the tips below to make the process easier.

    1. Place the ingredients in a tight group on your chopping board.
    2. Place the tip of the knife on the chopping board and rock the base of the blade down onto the cutting board, keeping your other hand out of the way.
    3. Repeat, rotating the knife back and forth every few movements.
    4. You can pause chopping and rearrange the ingredients into a better circle at any time if they start spreading out too much. Begin chopping again and repeat until you are done.

    Tips for Making Homemade Pesto

    • Texture: Blend and scrape the sides down, checking the texture often.
    • Dairy-free: Using nutritional yeast makes this homemade pesto dairy-free, making the recipe vegan. If you don't need it dairy free, use Parmesan cheese.
    • Nut-free: Using sunflower seeds keeps this pesto nut-free. If you don't need it nut-free you can use nuts like pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts.
    • Freeze it: Pesto is a great recipe to free. I like to freeze it by the tablespoon in ice cube trays.

    What to use oregano pesto with

    Pesto is a flavorful recipe with a variety of uses. For a quick lunch or light dinner try my Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad or Pesto Turkey Sandwich. You can also add spread some homemade pesto in a Caprese grilled cheese sandwich before grilling it.

    If you're having dinner guests, try spreading some pesto into my Jalapeno Cheesy Swirl Bread recipe or make an easy 10-minute side dish of Pesto Couscous.

    Want to try a different pesto? Try my Homemade Pepita Pesto.

    Storage

    Store homemade pesto in the fridge in a container with a lid. It will last about a week.

    To stop the top of the pesto from turning brown, flatten it out with the back of a spoon and pour a thin layer of olive oil. Just stir the olive oil in when you use the pesto next.

    You can also freeze homemade pesto. Spoon tablespoons of pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Remove and place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months.

    Pesto in a small bowl with a spoonful of pesto resting on top.

    Recipes FAQs

    What can you make with a lot of oregano?

    Oregano pesto uses the leaves from about 8-10 stalks of fresh oregano, making it a great recipe to use up a bunch of extra oregano from your garden.

    What is pesto made of?

    Traditionally, pesto sauce is made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, fresh garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. The ingredients are blended together into a smooth sauce.

    What is nutritional yeast?

    Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, often sold as flakes. People on vegan diets use nutritional yeast to replicate a cheesy flavor.

    What does nutritional yeast taste like?

    Nutritional yeast has a sort of cheesy, savory, nutty flavor. I don't find it overly cheesy in my opinion, but it's savory and hits the umami taste zone. My most common use for it is on stovetop popcorn.

    Recipe

    pesto in a small bowl with a spoonful of pesto resting on top

    Vegan Oregano Pesto

    Jacqueline Piper
    5 from 4 votes
    This is an easy recipe that will bring so much flavor to your dishes. Use your homemade oregano pesto for pasta, grilled chicken, or roasted vegetables. This pesto recipe is both nut-free and dairy-free.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Servings 8

    Equipment

    • Ninja Food Processor

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 large handful oregano leaves (about 8 tall stalks)
    • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, light olive oil, or more extra virgin olive oil)
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or freshly grated Parmesan cheese)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about half a lemon)
    • 1 clove garlic
    • salt and pepper (to taste)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • To the bowl of a food processor, add the oregano leaves, garlic, salt and pepper, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, and a splash of oil.
    • Pulse until the oregano leaves, sunflower seeds, and garlic are chopped well.
    • Add the oil bit by bit, only adding as much as you need to achieve the texture you like. Blend less for a chunkier pesto (my preference) or more for a smoother, creamier texture.
    • Use immediately or refrigerate for about a week.

    Video

    Notes

    This pesto recipe is nut-free + dairy-free.
    Substitutions – Swap out the oregano for another green, the sunflower seeds for another nut or seed, or the nutritional yeast for grated Parmesan cheese.
    Store homemade pesto in the fridge in a container with a lid. It will last about a week.
    To stop the top of the pesto from turning brown, flatten it out with the back of a spoon and pour a thin layer of olive oil. Just stir the olive oil in when you use the pesto next.
    You can also freeze homemade pesto. Spoon tablespoons of pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Remove and place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months.
    Serving size for this recipe: This recipe makes about ⅔ cups. I would use ⅓ cup in a recipe to serve 4 people.  So I would say this recipe then yields 8 servings.  Each serving would be just over a tablespoon because ⅔ cup is about 10 tablespoons.  This is simply used to nutrition estimate - serve the amount you like.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gFat: 6gFiber: 2g

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.

    Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
    Keyword fresh oregano, homemade condiments
    Have you tried a recipe? Tag @pipercooksblog or tag #pipercooksblog!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

    This post was originally published September 14, 2021.

    Pesto in a small bowl.

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    Jacqueline Piper profile photo

    Hi I'm Jacqueline

    I've been blogging for 10 years as I learn how to cook from scratch. I share my recipes to help you create easy, delicious, and (mostly) healthy food. I love fresh ingredients, spicy noodles, anything on toast, and reading a new cookbook with a glass of wine at my cabin. I'm so glad you've joined me.

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    1. Alex

      June 13, 2023 at 7:46 pm

      So easy to make! It was delicious and had great flavors with all the ingredients! I’ve made this twice already!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Piper

        June 13, 2023 at 8:56 pm

        I'm so glad to hear that you're enjoying this recipe, thanks for commenting 🙂

        Jacqueline

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jacqueline Piper.

    Hi, I’m Jacqueline Piper and I’m all about the homemade because I love to make things. I've been blogging for 10 years. From 15 minute meals for your weeknight dinner to more effort for special dinners and desserts on the weekend, I’ll show you how to cook from scratch. We’ll do healthy and we’ll do delicious, everything from kale to chocolate with beautiful, fresh ingredients. Search my recipes for your cravings, because we can make it!

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