Aquafaba is the cooking liquid from canned chickpeas. It's fairly thick thanks to its starch and protein content — which makes it a perfect base for this vegan, oil-free pesto.

Can I freeze the pesto?

I haven't frozen this particular recipe yet, but pesto generally freezes well. Little tip: freeze it in ice cube trays so you always have small portions on hand to quickly level up a dish.

My pesto turned a bit brown — is that a problem?

The reason can be the aquafaba, since it's usually not a clear liquid. That's totally fine and doesn't affect the flavor. Make sure to smell it first, if it has been sitting in the fridge for a few days. If the auafaba smells very intense, discard it.

Vegan Arugula Pesto (Oil-Free) - Veggie Jam English

Name: Vegan Arugula Pesto (Oil-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (50 g) loosely packed arugula; 1 cup (25 g) loosely packed basil; 1/3 cup (40 g) pine nuts (and/or walnuts)*; 2 tbsp (10 g) nutritional yeast; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp lemon juice; ¼ – ½ tsp salt**; 1/4 cup cold aquafaba*** (or olive oil)

Description

This easy vegan arugula-basil pesto is aromatic, savory, and fresh — and ready in less than 10 minutes. Instead of oil, aquafaba creates the creamy consistency. The perfect addition to pasta, sandwiches, or bowls.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups (50 g) loosely packed arugula
1 cup (25 g) loosely packed basil
1/3 cup (40 g) pine nuts (and/or walnuts)*
2 tbsp (10 g) nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ – ½ tsp salt**
1/4 cup cold aquafaba*** (or olive oil)

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Instructions

Wash the arugula and basil and spin them dry very thoroughly.
Heat a small pan over medium heat. Toast the pine nuts (or walnuts) for about 2 minutes, until they've taken on a little color and smell aromatic. Transfer to a small plate so the residual heat in the pan doesn't burn them.
Add the arugula, basil leaves, pine nuts and walnuts, along with the other ingredients (except the aquafaba), to a food processor and blend.
With the machine running, gradually add the cold aquafaba.
Season with salt, transfer to a small jar, seal airtight, and store in the fridge for up to 6 days.

Notes

* I used half pine nuts and half walnuts.

** Keep in mind that chickpea/bean water (aquafaba) is often salted, so start with ¼ tsp salt. If you're using the pesto as a pasta sauce, it should be a bit saltier.

*** Aquafaba is the liquid from canned beans. It's usually slightly cloudy and can cause the pesto to take on a slightly brownish color — which isn't a problem at all. Depending on how liquid you like it, use a little less or more in this recipe.