Recipes

Easy Healthy Pesto Sauce (Vegan, Plant Based!)

Name: Healthy Pesto Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup basil; 1 cup spinach; 2 tbsp nutritional yeast; 2 tsp garlic; 2 slices lemon; 1/2 avocado; 6 tbsp water

Wooooo for easy and delicious pasta sauce!! Oh and this pesto is healthy + oil free + plant based so that just makes everything even better, right?! I’m all about recipes that not only taste good but do good for YOU. This recipe is packed with veggies to help you sneak those in too!

I am NOT a pasta person aka I can go without it most of the time. But I AM a pizza gal. Pizza > Pasta, always. Whether you’re a pizza fan, a pasta fan, a sauce fan, or just want a fun way to use up some basil you may have growing in your pots out back (MEEEE), this recipe is for you!

I always have a problem of neglecting my plants and my poor basil plants are no exception. I go a week without watering them, notice they look incredibly sad, then perk them back up justtttt in time with a liter of water. Luckily my basil plants were looking pretty dang good on the day I went to gather some for this recipe! It honestly could have gone either way.

Minimal ingredients, minimal time spent, and minimal clean up… just what I like in a recipe! Oh and it’s made with great, clean ingredients that won’t have you feeling like you’re in a pasta/pizza coma after consuming it. I used nutritional yeast which is a wonderful healthy sub for cheese. It has a cheese-like flavor but it is packed with vitamins and it’s vegan! I got mine from Trader Joes and it’s not expensive at all. A great way to get a vegan cheese alternative without having to spend a ton of money.

I have a hard time with store bought pasta sauce because it can be full of either added sugar or lots of oil. Personally, not what I want in my pasta. Luckily this one doesn’t have any chemicals, added sugar, or oil. Just real, good food that will leave you feeling ready to take on the world rather than curl up on the couch in a food coma.

I actually paired mine with a great chickpea pasta! I had leftovers and I’m planning on making it with pizza next! Pesto flatbread sounds tooooo good. I stored my leftovers in a glass jar (leftover from a nut butter- always save glass containers for other uses!) It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and you can also freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray.