I’m a huge fan of anything that can be spread, drizzled, dipped, and of course, spoon fed from a bowl. Over the past couple years, I’ve found my favourite versions of the following:
I’ve had dinner guests beg for these recipes. I’ve had vegan skeptics go weak in the knees over this cheeze spread on a sandwich. I’ve had nephews eat 4 bowls of Mac n cheeze in a row!
I make these recipes again and again because they are quick, healthy, and I tend to have many of the ingredients on hand.
However, I would make pesto much more often (weekly? daily? Each waking hour?) if I didn’t think I would consume a full cup of oil in the span of…4 minutes. I seriously can’t control myself around that stuff. Until olive oil becomes its own food group, I tend to reserve classic pesto for those special occasions. Not to mention, organic cold-pressed olive oil is priced like liquid gold!
But, I’m impatient my friends. And let’s be real, special occasions don’t happen that often when you’re stuck in the country and your only nearby friend is your weirdo cat. Clearly, I need an everyday pesto.
And new friends.
And navy beans in pesto.
Whaaa?
Before you think I’ve gone mad, hear me out. When navy beans are processed they add a lovely creamy and rich quality to recipes. I’ve used processed navy beans many times in recipes (like creamy soups!) and I’ve always been pleased with the result. I figured processed navy beans would provide this creamy quality to my pesto without missing the oil. Or so I hoped.
My week off must have been good to me because this pesto surpassed my expectations. Either that, or my standards have just dropped. I can’t be certain.
It called my name from the fridge, only this time, I didn’t have to fight it.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
High Protein & Oil-Free Basil Pesto
Yield
1.5 cups
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
This is far from a traditional tasting pesto, but it’s so delicious I couldn’t stop eating it! The navy beans replace the typical cup of oil in this pesto recipe, making it not only oil-free, but high in protein as well. Nutritional yeast adds a cheezy taste while packing protein and B12. Enjoy this pesto spread on sandwiches, pasta, or even use for a dip for vegetables or chips. Spoon feeding encouraged.
Ingredients
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves (don’t be shy- really pack it in!)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 15-oz can navy/cannellini beans (1.5 cups)
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon) I used 3 tbsp
- 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt (I used 3/4 tsp)
- You can add olive oil to taste if you prefer!
Directions
- Add garlic clove to processor and process until finely chopped.
- Now add in the rest of the ingredients to taste and process until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
I kid you not, this stuff is addicting. And HEALTHY!
I spread it on bread, along with my favourite cheeze sauce on the other piece.
Now we’re talking.
I grilled tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, and spinach for layering.
You can use this pesto as a sandwich spread, mixed into pasta, or as a dip for vegetables and crackers. Really, everything else is simply a vehicle for this pesto to get into your belly. Spoons work great too.
While it’s not exactly like a traditional pesto, I just fell in love with it. Knowing that I was enjoying something naturally fat-free and high in protein made me eat eight times as much. Love that.
Updates:
1. Green Monster Movement was mentioned in O Magazine in this September’s issue!! Whooo, rock on Green Monster fans!
2. I’m a little late to the party, but I finally figured out how to make an Oh She Glows Facebook Page. Click the image to be taken to the page. Basically, it’s me babbling on to myself…so in other words, totally lame fun. Stop over and say hi!
3. The winner of the Peas and Thank You Cookbook is Val! Congrats! I’ve contacted you this morning via email. Thanks to everyone who entered!
I haven’t made this yet. Should I assume that the beans should be drained? rinsed? Looks good but I don’t want to waste anything by messing up!
This was awesome, I used a zucchini instead of the cannelloni beans, to keep it raw, as well as adding 3 Tbsp of hemp seeds for creaminess. Turned out great. Thanks
I love all your recipes and I love eating more whole food, but I can’t seem to get past the funkiness of Nutritional Yeast. Maybe it’s just somehting i have to get used to. :(
Have any recommendations for one that you like.
can you freeze this in ice cube trays?
I froze a small leftover amount in a container and it was just as delicious when it defrosted! Couldn’t tell the difference!
Should the beans be drained and rinsed?
My friends and I had a pesto party and made about 7 different, unique recipes for pesto, ranging from the traditional to vegan and oil free recipes like yours. Your recipe was definitely one of our favorites! Amazing, but the beans really lent a rich flavor and great texture!!
for some reason (but most probably because I ran out of basil before getting a packed cup of it) my pesto turned out very salty and kind of runny, so I mashed half an avocado in it and tadaaa ! Delicious ! I used this thick avocado-pesto paste in place of the vegenaise in your «tuna» salad, and served over sautéed zucchini noodles. Now everyone at work think I’m some sort of chef :)
Hey Angela!
I just discovered this amazing recipe which sounds like an awesome twist on the classic pesto (’cause i love white beans!) and i would really like to try it, but there’s one question left:
Do i have to use the whole can of beans? Meaning, do i put the beans with the liquid into the blender or do i have to drain them before i add them to the other ingredients? :)
Hope you can answer my silly question ^^
Thnks again for this great sounding recipe :)
Rinse, rinse, rinse the beans
Hi Angela! How long can this pesto be stored for? I just got a HUGE bunch of organic basil in my fruit and veg delivery and don’t want to waste it!
Hi Angela :). I tried this recipe for the first time today and it is absolutely gorgeous! I can’t get over it how much it tastes like having a cheese and pine-nut base. This recipe is definitely a keeper. We had it with wholewheat pasta tonight. The rest of it will be added to the family’s sandwiches.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Hi, Thank you so much! You are amazing! The best. I would bathe myself in pesto if I could. And now that I am pursuing an oil-free life, I am grateful for this recipe.
This was not good at all, did not taste like pesto. left with a bad aftertaste :(
Byw, I occasionally gaze wantonly at the pesto when I’m grocery shopping, pick up a tub, gaze at the nutritional content and see a usual average of 18 grams of fat and 700 mgs of sodium per serving with like 12 servings a container and a serving being like a tbs or two and I’m like “Oh hello nah, I’m making my own damn pesto that I won’t feel like a hippopotamus for eating a cups worth, FFS! >=O” I love love loveeeee the taste of fresh herbs, especially basil, dill, and cilantro so I don’t even think I want to “only eat a spoonful”, I can and will eat a cilantro or basil salad if I can find enough herbs at steal price ,(which isn’t often and I grow my own but I could easily kill a few basil plants in a meal if I didn’t watch myself T_T). And why should you have to limit yourself if it’s purely healthy like when you make it from scratch!
Also avocado could replace the beans.
Love, love, love this pesto! I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that it’s healthy! Thank you for the recipe. I love your cookbook and look forward to the next one.
I just made this basil deliciousness and it’s awesome! There is ZERO need for oil in pesto with this great recipe.
So glad you like it, Jessica!
This was great. Only change – I wish I had blended the basil first before adding the beans because yours is a nice green sauce, while mine is a white paste with flecks of green. I mixed it with whole wheat rotini, more white beans, and chopped fresh tomato. Also good with peas or artichoke hearts mixed in. I added a drizzle of extra water and olive oil to make it saucier – and when reheated, added a tiny bit more of both. Will make again.
Hi. Do the beans need to be rinsed and drained?
Thank you,
Andrea
Hey Andrea, yes, they do! Enjoy the pesto! :)
How long does it last in the refrigerator?
Hey Marissa, I’ve been so busy creating new recipes that I completely forgot about this one! hah. I’m so sorry I don’t have an update for you for storing. I think the flavours would start to change a lot after a few days, so I probably wouldn’t store for longer than that, but let your taste buds be your guide. :)
Thank you for this! I did want a traditional taste, so I used a lot more basil, less beans, and pine nuts. But I’ve been cutting out oil from my cooking and wasn’t sure how I was going to make pesto. This is wonderful!