Plant-powered pesto: clean, green & nourishing 💚

At Chuckling Goat, we’re always exploring healthy and tasty ways to elevate your meals – and this vibrant, homemade, plant-based pesto delivers on both flavour and feel-good ingredients; perfect for nourishing the body and soul!

Packed with greens, heart-healthy fats, and gut-loving nutrients, this versatile pesto isn’t just delicious; it’s also health-promoting.

Whether you stir it through pasta, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or use it as a dip, it’s a game-changer!

Ingredients

180g fresh basil
100-120g mix of nuts and seeds (think pine nuts, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds)
150-180ml extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves
3-4 TBSP lemon juice
7-8 TBSP nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of spinach/kale leaves (optional)
1-2 tbsp water (optional)

Method

Add the basil, nuts, seeds, garlic, lemon juice and nutritional yeast into a blender or food processor.
Start blending on a low setting, slowly drizzling in the olive oil. This helps the pesto come together into a smooth, glossy sauce.
Stop and scrape down the sides as needed and blend again until you reach your ideal texture.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
If it’s looking a bit thick, add a splash of water or an extra glug of olive oil to reach your desired consistency.

Why your gut will thank you

This pesto isn’t just tasty, it’s gut-friendly too –

Nutritional yeast is an excellent source of B vitamins and contains compounds like beta-glucans, which may help to support immune and gut function.
Nuts and seeds are packed with fibre and healthy fats that feed your good gut bugs.
Garlic and leafy greens contain prebiotics. These are natural plant fibres that nourish your gut microbiome.
And the extra virgin olive oil? It’s anti-inflammatory and supports digestion!

Top tips

If you are an olive oil addict like me, you’ll know there’s no such thing as too much! You can add more to make your pesto richer in flavour and smoother in texture.

Looking for extra ZING? Squeeze in some lemon juice at the end for a delicious, tangy kick! 🍋

Your pesto will keep happily in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed jar or container – cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil to help it stay fresh. If you’re looking to batch-cook this recipe, you can freeze it in ice cube trays for easy, single-serve portions.

Let us know if you try it! 😋

For more yummy dip recipes, check out Gut-friendly kale and basil pesto and simple hummus recipe.

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.