Easy Cheesy Vegan Carrot Top Pesto

Vegan pesto that is cheesy? How can it be? I know it sounds impossible, but this easy, vegan pesto has a creamy, cheesy flavor. Last week, we got our first CSA box of the season. If you don’t know what a CSA is, read this post on how to join a CSA to get in on the action. In my share was a lovely bunch of carrots with long, leafy, green tops. It seemed a waste to just discard the tops, so I took the leaves off the stems and whipped them up into a bright, zesty, cheesy pesto.

However, if you don’t have carrot tops, this recipe works just as well with basil. Easy, cheesy, vegan pesto is made with a handful of real-food ingredients and is paleo, keto, and whole 30-friendly. This flavorful pesto is great on pasta, pizza, veggies, salads, and on top of grilled fish or chicken. 

Vegan pesto on chicken? Yes, I do not follow a specific diet or way of eating. I consider myself to eat mostly plant-based, but I do eat chicken, beef, pork, and seafood. I feel my best when I eat animal protein alongside lots of plants. I believe there is no diet that is one size fits all. Everyone is bio-individual, and one person’s perfect diet is another person’s poison. I like to experiment with different ways of eating to see what makes me feel my best. I have noticed what makes me feel bright and shiny can change after a few years, depending on my current needs, and even with the seasons. So you do you and add this healthy cheesy vegan pesto to the foods that make you feel your best!

• Great on pasta, pizza, veggies, salads, and on top of grilled fish or chicken
• Irresistibly cheesy flavor
• The perfect way to use up leftover carrot tops
• Lasts 5-7 days in the fridge, or freeze for up to 1 month
• Paleo, keto, and whole 30-friendly

• Cashews: contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support healthy blood and immune system function. Cashews help to promote healthy hair and skin.
• Carrot tops: detoxify and strengthen  kidneys, high in vitamin K and potassium
• Basil: supports the liver and detoxifies the body, is good for digestion, and is anti-inflammatory
• Nutritional Yeast: supports weight loss, muscle repair, and neurological health, as well as a good source of vitamin B
• Olive oil: lowers cholesterol, promotes heart health, reduces inflammation

• I love this lemon juicer
• Thin the pesto to your desired consistency by adding broth, water, or extra oil.
• This flavorful pesto is great on pasta, pizza, veggies, salads, and on top of grilled fish or chicken. 

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Easy Cheesy Vegan Carrot Top Pesto

Make this healthy, vegan, cheesy pesto that uses carrot tops instead of basil. 

5 from 4 votes

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Course Dip, Side Dish, Snack

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup basil or the greens from carrot tops
• 1/2 heaping cup raw cashews soaked for 6+ hours or overnight in water
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon* juiced
• 1 tsp garlic fresh or minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Soak raw cashews in water for 6+ hours or overnight.
• Drain cashews. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse 'til smooth and creamy.
• Taste and adjust garlic, salt, and pepper to your preference. You can add in broth, water, or additional oil if you want a thinner pesto sauce.
• Pesto can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days. I like to freeze my extras in an ice cube tray or muffin tin so I can have it in a single-serving size for later.

Notes

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review below and don’t forget to tag @lauralivewell

Keyword carrot tops, cashews, cheesy, dip, keto, lemon, paleo, paleo-friendly, vegan, whole 30

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