Vegan Oregano Pesto

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

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Total Time10

Course: Condiments

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 97kcal

Author: Jacqueline Piper

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

US Customary - Metric

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 2/3 cups. I would use 1/3 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 2/3 cup is about 10 tablespoons. This is simply used to nutrition estimate - serve the amount you like.

Nutrition