Pesto is traditionally made with Parmesan cheese, so we’ve found a delicious dairy-free version with this vegan pesto recipe that’s packed with flavour!
Don’t miss the chance to have your say! We’re looking for parents to get involved and give their feedback on all aspects of family life. Find out more here.
Like any self respecting mother, I made this vegan pesto recipe then fed it to the children before telling them what was in it. The 13-year-old asked for seconds. She’s a great grubber. The picky 4-year-old said he loved garlic, spread it on his toast and ate a slice. A big achievement for such a particular eater!
In place of parmesan cheese in this recipe, I’ve substituted raw almonds. They are a very good match for the texture. Kale replaces basil, which is really a summer herb, but when it’s back in season do feel free to use basil instead – it’s good to have a substitute though.
You May Also Enjoy 7 Delicious Vegan Dinner Recipes Your Family Will Love
Vegan Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 large fronds of clean raw kale including the stalks (I used curly but flat leaf is fine)
- 5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled
- 100g raw almonds (I used mine with the skin on for more texture)
- 50ml sunflower oil
- Zest & juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
Method
- Cut the kale into chunks the size of the palm of your hand so that they will fit into the blender easier.
- Put all the ingredients together into the processor and pulse/blitz until you have the consistency you prefer for your pesto.
- I’d recommend you make it quite fine though as larger chunks of kale can be a bit of a surprise to the palate.
- Serve over pasta, in wraps and sandwiches, or just smeared on toast!
This recipe, and more, is available on Wholesome Ireland
You May Also Enjoy 14 Sneaky Ways to get Vegetables into Kids Meals
Have your say! Will you add this vegan pesto recipe to your recipe rotation? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!
About the Author: Caitriona Redmond
