The Vegan Zucchini Pesto was born from a personal need. I’ve been eating pasta with vegetables every evening for nutritional reasons. But always making sautéed zucchini or broccoli to combine with pasta became increasingly difficult and “boring.”
So, I sought a way to eat the same things but in a different form…and here is my vegan zucchini pesto, also suitable for raw foodists and the paleo diet because it’s made entirely raw, without any animal protein. I was amazed by the creaminess of this sauce, and how, thanks to the nuts, it seems “cheesy.” This pesto can also be used as a dipping sauce with bread and focaccia during aperitifs. It’s a quick and easy pesto to make, you’ll be as impressed as I was! 😆
Below, I’m leaving you another type of pesto I’ve made and a preparation made with classic Genoese pesto, experiment and you won’t regret it!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 155.24 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.64 (g) of which sugars 0.46 (g)
- Proteins 2.71 (g)
- Fat 15.78 (g) of which saturated 2.13 (g)of which unsaturated 6.38 (g)
- Fibers 1.35 (g)
- Sodium 477.78 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Vegan Zucchini Pesto
The ingredients for the vegan zucchini pesto are few, but they take advantage of the oiliness and “cheesy” flavor of macadamia nuts to replace the cheese that is usually one of the main ingredients of any type of pesto.
- 10.5 oz zucchini (firm and fresh)
- 20 leaves basil
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (or almonds)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup macadamia nuts (or almonds)
- 1/4 oz salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (preferably mild)
Tools
Pesto, as the name suggests, should be worked at length in a mortar. However, everyday life makes it difficult to spend so much time grinding ingredients, so it’s easier and more convenient to use a food processor or a blender. I used the Thermomix TM31.
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Jar
- 1 Small Bowl
Preparation of Vegan Zucchini Pesto
Preparing zucchini pesto is very easy and quick. I did everything raw, but if desired, you can blanch the zucchini before proceeding.
The important thing is to choose fresh and firm zucchini that don’t release too much water. If necessary, you can try leaving them in a colander for half an hour before proceeding.
The steps to make vegan zucchini pesto are few and very easy, truly within everyone’s reach. Let’s see them step by step:
First, wash the zucchini and cut them into chunks, and clean the basil leaves with a dampened paper towel. Then proceed to chop everything.
In the processor, place the chosen nuts (macadamia nuts are the only essential ones, the rest can vary), process at maximum speed until you achieve a grainy but creamy consistency. Set aside in a small bowl.
In the bowl, even leaving the nut residues, add the zucchini, garlic (optional), and basil and blend everything at medium-high speed.
Combine the nut mixture with the vegetable blend, add a small pinch of salt and 10 grams of oil. Set the processor to low speed and mix.
With the processor running, pour in the remaining oil slowly to achieve the classic creaminess of pesto.
Once ready, gently transfer it into a preserving jar and cover with oil. This way, it can be stored for a few days in the refrigerator; otherwise, it can be frozen in small plastic containers, in the right quantity to season pasta; indeed it should be used all at once once thawed.
Notes and Tips
The Vegan Zucchini Pesto is perfect for dressing pasta or for delicious and alternative canapés. I’ve even topped a white pizza with zucchini flowers, and it was gone in no time! For a fresher and more summery note, you can use mint instead of basil, or you can play with the type and quantity of nuts. The zucchini pesto is great if combined with my panbauletto or a more rustic bread like my Tuscan bread. If you’d like, see you on Instagram!
