This easy basil pesto recipe is packed with fresh flavour and perfect for tossing with pasta, spreading onto pizza, and even using as a dip. It’s also freezer friendly!
Homemade pesto is one of my favourite ways to jazz up a meal. Kale pesto , cashew pea pesto , and parsley pesto are all delicious, but if you’re looking for that classic pesto flavour, you want this basil pesto recipe.
Let’s be clear, though—this isn’t a traditional basil pesto.
Traditional basil pesto is insanely expensive to make thanks to the addition of pine nuts. But I’ve found that walnuts work just as well, and they add a delicious nutty texture and flavour to the pesto. Once you add the basil and other ingredients, you’ll never miss the pine nuts!
Why You’ll Love This Basil Pesto Recipe
- Bright, herbaceous flavour . It’s why we love pesto, right?! This basil pesto sauce is full of fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice, making it taste bright and vibrant.
- Versatility . Stir the pesto into vegan cream cheese for a delicious dip, toss it with pasta for an easy meal, spread it onto pizza instead of tomato sauce…the possibilities are endless!
- Freezer friendly . Pop some pesto in the freezer and you’ll be on your way to easy weeknight dinners!
- Easy to make . Once you learn how to make basil pesto at home, you’ll never go back to store-bought.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make this recipe, along with my notes. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Basil – Different varieties of basil will give your pesto different flavours, but I usually stick with Genovese basil, which I grow in my garden!
- Walnuts – Or pine nuts if you want a more traditional basil pesto.
- Vegan Parmesan cheese – You can use homemade vegan Parmesan cheese or store-bought.
- Garlic
- Lemon juice – Sometimes I use lime juice instead.
- Coarse salt and pepper
- Olive oil
How to Make Basil Pesto
Making pesto is so easy there are only 3 steps!
- Combine . Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend . Process until the mixture reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve or store . Use the pesto right away or transfer it to a jar and refrigerate for later.
Tips for Success
- Keep your pesto bright green . As with other greens, you can blanch the basil by bringing a pot of water to a boil, dunking the basil in for a few seconds until it turns bright green, then transferring the basil to an ice bath to shock it. Dry it well, then add it your pesto.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor . You’ll likely need to pause at some point to scrape the sides down to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Otherwise, you’ll have large bits of walnuts, garlic, and basil leaves in your pesto.
- Don’t overdo it . Pesto is a concentrated sauce. As such, a little goes a long way. I always start with a smaller amount, like 3 to 4 tablespoons in this zucchini noodles recipe , which serves two people. From there you can add more as you like without over-saturating the dish.
Variations
- Try another nut or seed . You can make this basil pesto recipe with cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, and even hemp seeds. Each will give the pesto a slightly different flavour.
- Swap in roasted garlic . For a more mellow garlic flavour, try using roasted garlic instead of raw.
- Add some heat . For a spicy twist, add in some red pepper flakes.
How to Use Basil Pesto
My ultimate favourite way to use pesto is on a pesto pizza , although I’ll never turn down pesto in a pasta dish either (try this vegan pesto pasta or hearts of palm pasta with pesto ). Here are some other ideas for using your homemade basil pesto:
- Spread on a sandwich or wrap instead of mayo or mustard.
- Use as a marinade for tofu or vegetables.
- Mix into a tofu scramble for a flavourful breakfast.
- Stir into a vinaigrette to make a pesto salad dressing.
- Make a batch of pesto pinwheels for a party.
How to Store
- Refrigerator : Store in an airtight container or jar for up to 5 days.
- Freezer : You can freeze basil by storing in a ice cube tray, freezing it until solid, and then popping it out and storing it in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the pesto itself in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More Easy Sauce Recipes
- Arrabbiata Sauce
- Scotch Bonnet Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Tomato Sauce
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups basil , stemmed and washed
- ⅓ cup walnuts , or pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice , or lime juice
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon pepper , adjust to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a food processor or high powered blender and press the sauce/spread button or blend until combined smoothly, scraping down sides if necessary. Pour into a jar and enjoy!
Notes
Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups basil stemmed and washed
- ⅓ cup walnuts or pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into a food processor or high powered blender and press the sauce/spread button or blend until combined smoothly, scraping down sides if necessary. Pour into a jar and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Basil Pesto https://jessicainthekitchen.com/basil-pesto-recipe/ January 29, 2025
Lasagna soup is mega cheesy, fantastically filling, and loaded with Italian-inspired flavours. A trio of vegan cheeses takes it over the top!
Vegan lasagna is hearty and delicious, but it’s also a lot of work with all that layering. Lasagna roll-ups are easier, but if you want the easiest option of them all, make this lasagna soup recipe! No layering, no rolling, but it has all the deliciousness of a vegan lasagna, in convenient soup form. With veggies, vegan sausage and green lentils, lasagna noodles, and three types of plant-based cheese, this soup is destined to become a comfort food favourite.
Reasons to Make My Lasagna Soup ASAP
Here’s what makes this recipe a standout:
- Extra-super cheesy . Not just extra! Not just super! EXTRA super! Friends, vegan cheese has come a long way since I first started as a food blogger and this lasagna soup recipe takes full advantage. Vegan ricotta adds creaminess, Parmesan adds lots of flavour, and then we’ve got mozzarella for supreme meltability.
- Hearty and satisfying . Vegetables, protein-packed vegan sausage, and lentils give this soup staying power, so you won’t end up feeling hungry later—and you don’t even need to add anything else to make it a meal. (Although if you do want to add a side, I share some ideas below.)
- Easy to make . There are just a few simple steps to making this recipe and unlike other soups that require a long simmer to develop flavour, this one comes together quickly thanks to flavourful ingredients like sausage and Italian seasonings.
Notes on Ingredients
Many of the ingredients you’ll need are pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Soup:
- Olive oil
- Vegetables – Onion, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper; you can use any colour pepper you want.
- Vegan sausage – I like to use Italian sausage, which adds lots of bold flavour to the soup.
- Green lentils – Rinse and drain these.
- Crushed tomatoes
- Vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade vegetable broth .
- Seasonings – Dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper.
- Lasagna noodles – Break these up into spoon-sized pieces.
For Toppings:
- Vegan mozzarella cheese
- Vegan ricotta – I use my vegan ricotta recipe.
- Vegan Parmesan cheese – You can use homemade vegan Parmesan or store-bought.
- Fresh basil
How to Make Lasagna Soup
You’ll find the complete steps for making lasagna soup in the printable recipe card below, but here’s a quick summary.
Soften the vegetables.
- Soften the vegetables . Warm the olive oil in a pot over medium heat, then add the vegetables and cook until they’re tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Brown the sausage . Stir in the vegan sausage and cook until it begins to brown.
Add the next ingredients and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer . Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the noodles. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the pasta . Stir in the lasagna noodles and cook for the time indicated on the package.
Mix the cheese topping.
- Make the cheese topping . While the pasta boils, mix all the cheeses in a bowl.
- Serve . Divide the soup into bowls and then top each with the cheese mixture, along with extra vegan Parmesan and basil for garnish.
Tips and Variations
- Cook the noodles to al dente . They’ll continue to soften in the warm broth even after you turn off the heat.
- Swap out the lentils . Canned chickpeas or cannellini beans would both be good substitutes. Drain and rinse them well.
- Add other veggies . Diced zucchini would be fantastic, or stir in baby spinach until it wilts at the very end of the cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
You can’t go wrong with a side of roasted garlic bread to soak up this soup! My garlic and rosemary focaccia bread would also be delicious. For a lighter pairing, serve lasagna soup with a Caesar salad .
How to Store & Reheat Extras
- Refrigerator : Transfer the lasagna soup to an airtight container and store the cheese topping in a separate container. Refrigerate both for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : Note that the noodles will soften quite a bit after freezing. You can freeze the soup and cheese topping separately in airtight containers. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat : Warm up the soup on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. Add the cheese mixture just before serving.
More Hearty Vegan Soup Recipes
- Split Pea Soup
- Loaded Potato Soup
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Gnocchi Soup
- Tomato Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , 15 ml
- 1 onion , diced, 150 g
- 3 cloves garlic , minced, 9 g
- 1 carrot , diced, 60 g
- 1 bell pepper , diced, 120 g
- 8 ounces vegan sausage , crumbled, 225 g
- 1 cup green lentils , rinsed and drained, 190 g
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes , 800 ml
- 4 cups vegetable broth , 950 ml
- 1 teaspoon dried basil , 1 g
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano , 1 g
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes , 0.5 g
- Salt and black pepper , to taste
- 8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into smaller pieces , 200 g
For Toppings:
- 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese , shredded, 115 g
- 1 cup vegan ricotta , 225 g
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish, 50 g
- Fresh basil , for garnish
Instructions
Cook the Soup:
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Add vegan sausage and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until it starts to brown.
- Stir in the green lentils, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered for 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Add the broken lasagna noodles to the pot and cook according to the package directions (usually about 8-10 minutes) until they are tender.
Serve:
- Mix all cheeses in a medium bowl to make the topping.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a generous amount of cheese mixture and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- Adjust the cooking time of the noodles based on the type used; you may want to add them a few minutes after the soup has started simmering if they take longer to cook but if you don’t eat all of the soup at once they will soften more, so al dente is better.
- Cooking and storing the noodles separately will help avoid over-softening if you plan to eat the leftovers next day.
- Refrigerator : Transfer the lasagna soup to an airtight container and store the cheese topping in a separate container. Refrigerate both for up to 4 days.
- Freezer : Note that the noodles will soften quite a bit after freezing. You can freeze the soup and cheese topping separately in airtight containers. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- To reheat : Warm up the soup on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. Add the cheese mixture just before serving.
