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    Home » Vegan recipes » Sauces and salad dressings » Blender sauces and salad dressings

    Oil-free vegan avocado pesto

    Last Modified: Apr 13, 2021 by Becky Striepe

    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    bowl of fettuccine with avocado pesto and tomatoes
    bowl of fettuccine with avocado pesto and tomatoes
    spoon in a jar of oil free avocado pesto

    Looking for an easy pesto that's rich and creamy without added oil? This oil free, vegan avocado pesto is IT!

    bowl of fettuccine with avocado pesto and tomatoes

    I'm by no means an oil-free cook, so you know that if I'm sharing an oil-free recipe, it's a banger. This oil-free avocado pesto is rich. creamy, and decadent.

    Jump To:
    • Fat free vs. oil free
    • Recipe notes
    • How to serve and store
    • Oil-free avocado pesto

    spoon in a jar of avocado pesto

    Fat free vs. oil free

    Before we get to the recipe, I wanted to talk quickly about oil free vs. fat free.

    This recipe is free from added oils, but that doesn't mean it's free of fat. Avocados are a fatty fruit, and that's exactly what makes this pesto creamy!

    The fat in avocados is heart healthy. Plus, you get fiber and other nutrients, because you're eating the whole fruit.

    I also want to mention that I'm not opposed to cooking with oil. This recipe just happens to be oil-free.

    pesto ingredients on a marble tabletop

    Recipe notes

    This is a very easy blender sauce. You truly throw everything into the blender and puree until you have a nice, smooth pesto.

    You can make this recipe nut free, if you want! Just replace the cashews with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead.

    You'll see in the recipe below that nutritional yeast is optional. I love nooch in a pesto. It adds that hint of cheesiness that you'd normally get from Parmesan cheese. If you don't like or can't find nooch, though, this pesto is lovely without it, as well.

    The only other thing I want to talk about before we start cooking is the water. Think of ¼ cup as a starting point. You may need to add another tablespoon or two of water, to get your desired consistency. This depends on the size of your avocado, your blender, whether you use nutritional yeast, and what consistency you're going for with your finished pesto.

    How to serve and store

    Pesto is great over pasta, as I'm sure you know, but there are lots of other fun ways to use it!

    Spoon it over a grain bowl, like my roasted broccoli and tofu bowl, for an easy meal. It's also a great dip for veggies.

    Want to up your hummus game? Add a few spoonfuls of pesto to the mix next time for a flavor boost!

    If you do have leftover avocado pesto, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for around five days.

    bowl of fettuccine with avocado pesto and tomatoes

    Oil-free avocado pesto

    Looking for an easy pesto that's rich and creamy without added oil? This oil free, vegan avocado pesto is IT!
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    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauces and Dressings
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: avocado pesto, oil free pesto, vegan pesto
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 150kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 Haas avocado
    • 1 cup fresh basil leavess - loosely packed
    • ½ cup water - plus more, if needed, to reach your desired consistency
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoons cashews - raw or roasted is fine, or you can use pine nuts
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast - optional
    • salt and black pepper - to taste

    Instructions

    • Put all of your ingredients into the blender, and puree until smooth. You can add water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to get things moving.
    • Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary.

    Equipment

    • Blender

    Video

    Notes

    To make this recipe nut free, use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of cashews.
    The final amount of water you'll need depends on the consistency you want and the size of your avocado. A large avocado might need more water to reach that creamy, pesto consistency you're looking for. You may need more water if you use the optional nutritional yeast, as well, since that can thicken up sauces.
    The nutritional yeast is optional and gives this pesto the cheesiness that you'd normally get from Parmesan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcal
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo!Mention @GlueAndGlitter on Instagram or Twitter!
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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

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    About Me

    Glue and Glitter
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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