Pesto can brighten up any dish. It’s so fresh tasting and it adds a ton of flavor to any salad, pasta, or sandwich. I like to eat it on a caprese salad. Pesto is also really good for marinating and grilling.    Since many people are going vegan and gluten free these days, try out this recipe with gluten free pasta and skip the cheese, and you’ll be surprised at how good this healthy recipe tastes.  

Check out our video on making Vegan Pesto:

Pesto freezes amazingly well.  When basil is plentiful, we make loads of it and freeze it in ziploc bags (or in an ice cube tray).  I defrost it either by dropping the ziploc in warm water or, if I will be cooking with it, I just heat it up in a pan with a little olive oil.  It totally retains it’s flavor even after 6 months in the freezer.  One of my favorite things to do is have some pesto pasta right in the middle of the winter.  If I close my eyes while I’m eating it I can bring myself back to the warm days of summer.

Pesto also makes a great gift.  I like to fill up a jelly jar with freshly made pesto and bring it as a small gift.  I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t totally thrilled by the gift of pesto!

Here are 10 vegan ideas for using vegan pesto:

• Warm Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
• Cold Pesto Pasta Salad for a picnic, barbecue, or work event
• Pesto Potato Salad with Capers, Red Onions and Parsley
• Spread on Toast Topped with Avocado
• Roasted Red Peppers with Pesto Sandwich
• Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with Pesto, Tomatoes and Lettuce
• White Beans with Pesto
• Pesto Salad Dressing
• Pesto Pizza with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Red Onions and Cashew Cheese
• Grilled Zucchini topped with Pesto
• Plus a Bonus Recipe:
• Avocado halves stuffed with Pesto and Drizzled with Sriracha Sauce