Vegan Basil Sunflower Seed Pesto Sauce (Without Pine Nuts)

Sunflower seed pesto is a delicious, 6-ingredient, frugal homemade pesto without pine nuts you can make in just 5 minutes! Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, wraps, pizza, and more!

The Ingredients and Substitutions for Pesto with Sunflower Seeds

• Basil: You’ll need plenty of fresh basil leaves for this nut-free basil pesto. Alternatively, you can experiment with using other greens too. Try parsley, arugula, baby kale, spinach, etc. Use one or a combination of greens.

You can also help reduce food waste by adding ‘alternative’ greens to the sunflower seed pesto, including well-washed carrot top greens, beet greens, etc.

• Sunflower seeds: Use unsalted, raw sunflower seeds. Walnuts or sunflower seeds would also work.
• Olive oil: Use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil. This helps create a silky, smooth texture.
• Garlic: If you prefer a more mellow garlic flavor, use roasted garlic, soak the raw garlic in ice water for 10 minutes, or swap out the fresh garlic for garlic powder (to taste). Adjust the amount to taste.
• Salt & black pepper: Adjust the amount to taste.
• Sugar: It may sound odd, but a pinch of sugar enhances and balances the flavor in this sunflower seed pesto. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Nutritional yeast: To take the place of dairy-based parmesan cheese, I’ve used nutritional yeast for a slightly nutty, ‘cheesy’, umami-rich flavor in the vegan nut-free pesto.
• Lemon juice: Adjust the amount to taste. Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled juice will also work. For additional zing, add a small amount of lemon zest, too.

How to Make Pesto with Sunflower Seeds?

How to Make Ahead and Store Vegan Pesto?

Not only is sunflower pesto super versatile (as you’re about to find out if you keep reading), but it’s also fantastic for preparing in large batches and storing in the freezer!

Fridge: Once prepared, you can store the fresh pesto with sunflower seeds in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Freezer: Alternatively, you can freeze it for between 4-6 months!

What Is the Best Way to Freeze Pesto?

To freeze it, I like to spoon it into 1-2 tablespoon portions in an ice-cube tray. Next, freeze until solid and then transfer them to an airtight container. Then, when needed, allow the pesto cube/s to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you could add them directly to certain dishes (i.e., into a sauce on the stovetop).

Note that basil pesto can darken because of oxidization. This is normal. If you want to keep it as vibrant as possible, keep the pesto stored in the ice cube tray (when freezing) or your jar/container of choice (in the fridge) with a thin layer of olive oil over it.

How to Use Pesto?

Pesto is one of my favorite sauces because of the sheer volume of options you have to use it up (and avoid food waste!). Here are my top 12 ways to use pesto!

• Pasta (warm or cold): Like vegan stuffed shells, gnocchi, mac n’ cheese, spaghetti squash, lasagna, chilled pasta salad, etc.
• Grains: Toss a few spoonfuls into any grain side or salad (like a quinoa salad, couscous, etc.)
• Bread: Use the sunflower seed pesto with crostini, bruschetta, spread over sandwiches, toasties/paninis, wraps, burgers, etc. Like this tofu and pesto sandwich, a vegan grilled cheese sandwich, creamy mushroom sandwich, hearty pesto bagels, white bean burgers, etc. It tastes fantastic in any bread recipe with grilled veggies, too!
• Veggies: Drizzle over grilled or roasted vegetables, like crispy cauliflower.
• Stuffed vegetables: Like pesto pasta stuffed mushrooms, pumpkin seed pesto stuffed mushrooms, or stuffed sweet peppers.
• Soups: Either stir into or garnish soups like zucchini basil soup, broccoli soup, and kale bean soup.
• Charcuterie: Include a part of a vegan cheese board/ charcuterie board or any grazing platter.
• Dips: Swirl this vegan nut-free pesto into (or garnish) hummus, white bean dip, vegan ricotta dip, a dairy-free yogurt-based dip, etc.
• Pizza: Dollop or drizzle it over pizza, like this Mediterranean hummus pizza or vegan calzones.
• Salads: Turn into a dressing/ pesto sauce or mix into potato salad and drizzle over options like vegan caprese salad.

FAQs for Vegan Pesto Without Pine Nuts

Toni’s Tips and Recipe Notes

• To avoid darkened basil: Basil can become dark when oxidized or heated. To avoid this, you can start by processing the remaining ingredients, then adding the basil at the end to your desired consistency. Alternatively, you could blanch the basil for 30 seconds in boiling water (then transfer to an ice bath).
• Adjust the texture: Process the pesto for longer or shorter to adjust the texture.
• Alternative blending method: You could also prepare this sunflower pesto with an immersion blender. Place all the ingredients in a tall container and add a splash of water to help blend if needed. You could also make this pesto machine-free with a mortar and pestle.
• Frugal top tip: Purchasing/growing your own herbs (like basil) is a great way to save money in the long run. Pick off the leaves you need and allow them to replenish rather than having to buy it every time it’s needed.
• To thin the pesto: You can add a small amount of water. However, note that this can affect the shelf life and should be eaten within 2-3 days.
• For extra flavor: Feel free to experiment with lightly toasted sunflower seeds for additional nutty flavor.

More Flavorful Vegan Dressings

Vegan Lunches

Cilantro and Green Chili Dressing

Vegan Lunches

Avocado Green Goddess Dressing

Vegan Lunches

Lemon Dressing

Vegan Sauces & Condiments

Basil Salad Dressing

If you tried this easy vegan sunflower seed pesto recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla