Vegan Pea-Spinach Pesto

Name: Vegan Pea-Spinach Pesto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas; 3 cups fresh spinach (preferably baby spinach); 1 cup fresh basil leaves; 4 tablespoons pine nuts; 3 large garlic cloves (minced); 2 tablespoons fresh (strained lemon juice); ¼ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil; Sea salt to taste; 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

NUTRITIONAL YEAST 101 I am new to using nutritional yeast, and it was introduced to me by one of the top vegan chefs in Athens. Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and usually gluten-free; it is deactivated yeast (unlike baker’s yeast or brewer’s yeast) that has been grown for human consumption. It’s a rich source of B vitamins and minerals and tastes uncannily like sharp grated cheeses, which is why it is often used in vegan recipes as a replacement for parmigiana.

RATING

SERVES

PREP TIME

10 min

COOK TIME

5 min

RECIPES

The Ikaria Diet

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas
3 cups fresh spinach preferably baby spinach
1 cup fresh basil leaves
4 tablespoons pine nuts
3 large garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons fresh strained lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
Sea salt to taste
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Instructions

Trim the stems off the spinach and wash and spin dry the leaves. Coarsely chop the spinach and basil.
Place the pine nuts, garlic and half the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and puree to a paste. Add the spinach, peas, and basil in increments, seasoning with a little salt, and pulse to puree. When the last batch of spinach, basil and peas is added and puree, add the lemon juice, remaining olive oil and the nutritional yeast and pulse to combine and to reach the consistency of a creamy paste. Remove and serve, either as a dip or a sauce for pasta. You can keep the pest sealed and refrigerated for three days.