This Five Minute Vegan Pepita Cilantro Pesto is inspired by our recent trip to New York. We had breakfast in a small little cafe and they had some amazing dishes (some of which you will also soon find inspired-by on the blog). Amongst them was this delicious pepita pesto, which was so flavorful. I have no idea whether theirs was either vegan, took five minutes, and/or contained cilantro. But this one contains pepitas so I would say, close enough.
What You Will Find in This Post
- Key elements to make a great pesto
- Why this Five Minute Vegan Pepita Cilantro Pesto is good for you
- Easy Swaps and Questions
- How to adjust this recipe to your individual dietary requirements
- Other pesto-inspired meal ideas on the blog
Key Elements to Make a Great Pesto
What makes a pesto go from good to great? Be sure to add quality, fresh ingredients. This is the case not just with pesto but with all dishes that contain little ingredients. Because there is nowhere to “hide” in terms of taste, you need the ingredients to be ripe, delicious, and shine so that they become the sole star of the show. A great pesto should also have a really nice balance of flavors. You want the nuttiness from the nuts or seeds, the saltiness from the cheese (in our case the nutritional yeast), the herbiness from the herbs, the sharpness from garlic, and the richness from olive oil. Last but not least, your pesto should have a really nice balance of texture, so neither too thin or too thick. But you can absolutely address this and make it to your liking.
Why is This Five Minute Vegan Pepita Cilantro Pesto Good for You
Pepita, or pumpkin seeds, contain a healthy dose of fat and some protein. They are also loaded with manganese, copper, magnesium, zinc, and some iron. In addition to this amazing micronutrient profile, pepitas are also loaded with antioxidants. The antioxidants found in pepitas are mainly of the flavonoid and phenolic acid type. These particular antioxidants appear to have a very anti-inflammatory response in our bodies. Inflammation appears to be the main contributor to a lot of what is called Western diseases and we want to keep our inflammation levels as low as possible.
Easy Swaps and Questions
What can I use this pesto for? Pesto is super versatile and can literally elevate any dish. You can mix it into your pasta (this one may be your most obvious one). But I also love it as an easy dressing with some pesto and lemon juice for salads. They elevate eggs, sandwiches, meat, and dips. They are also great as a garnish or sprinkled on top of a soup. The world is your oyster with pesto and I love how it provides instant flavor, and is super quick to make.
Can I also use parmesan cheese in the pesto? You can absolutely swap in parmesan cheese for the nutritional yeast we are using here. Just be mindful that obviously your pesto will no longer be vegan and does contain some dairy.
How can I store the pesto? If you are using it within the next 4-5 days, keep it in a clean, air-tight glass jar in the fridge. Add some olive oil on top in order to create a protective layer for preserving and against it going brown. If you want to freeze the pesto, add it to ice cubes as an easy portioning trick, let freeze completely and then move into a freezer bag (or similar). The pesto should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
How to adjust this Vegan Pepita Cilantro Pesto to your dietary requirements
This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. It is, therefore, suitable for all dietary requirements.
Other Pesto-Inspired Meal Ideas on the Blog
- Easy Green Shakshuka with Pesto
- Creamy Avocado Pasta Recipe
- Tomato Salad with a Wild Garlic Vinaigrette
- Italian Anti Pasti Salad
And there you have it for this week! I hope you enjoy this absolutely delicious pesto and slather it onto any and everything. This recipe is inspired by my Easy Vegan Wild Garlic Pesto. Enjoy!
Five Minute Vegan Pepita Cilantro Pesto
8
servings5
minutesAbsolutely delicious, made in minutes and suitable for everyone! This Five Minute Vegan Pepita Cilantro Pesto hits the spot every time.
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup (ca. 70 gr.) pepita seeds
50 gr. cilantro
1/3 cup (20 gr.) nutritional yeast
1/4 cup (60 ml.) olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
How to
- Peel the garlic cloves (note: If you are not a super fan of garlic, only use one clove) and add to a high-speed blender along with the pepita seeds, cilantro, nutritional yeast, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until super smooth. Depending on your food processor, you may have to add a little bit more olive oil or water to help the pesto “along” to become creamy. Do a taste test and adjust any of the final seasonings. Enjoy!
