We have a bonus post this week because basil has officially exploded, and this recipe deserves its own page. As noted earlier, MSV pesto relies on red miso paste for salt and remarkable depth of flavor we haven't found anywhere else. (We tried making pesto with nutritional yeast once. Once.) It's a valuable ingredient, and keeps for weeks in the refrigerator.
With pine nuts and several tablespoons of olive oil, pesto isn't cheap to make, but it's a rich condiment, so a little goes a long way. Until you want a lot. Try our spinach pesto for a more affordable, but still satisfying, variation. (And to take the price tag down another notch, try substituting sunflower seeds for the walnuts in that recipe.)
Classic Vegan Pesto Genovese
yields about 2/3 cup
2 oz basil, leaves only, from two large bunches (about 1 cup of tightly packed leaves)
1-2 medium cloves garlic, to taste
2 tsp red miso paste
1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
1/4 cup good quality olive oil
Puree all ingredients until smooth.