Making your own Shiso Pesto is so easy, requiring only 10 minutes of your time. It’s the perfect way to make the most of those vibrant green shiso leaves. Much like the classic basil pesto, this vegan version is packed with garlicky, nutty and bright flavours.
Shiso is an incredibly low-maintenance herb for your garden. Each year, my uncle kindly supplies me with shiso plants that flourish with regular watering and ample sunlight, resulting in a beautiful and abundant harvest. 🪴
If shiso is not available near you, no problem! You can easily swap it with fresh Italian or Thai basil, which will taste just as good.
Try this delicious shiso pesto in my Mushroom Pesto Pasta recipe; perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner. 😋
🍃 What Is Shiso?
Shiso is a Japanese herb that comes in green or purple leaves. It has a unique flavour resembling a cross between basil and mint. Common in Asian cuisine, it’s used in dishes like sushi, tempura, salads, and stir fries.
(pictured is shiso growing in my garden 🤩)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Vibrant Herby Flavour. This pesto has a rich herby flavour that brings a fresh and exciting twist to your cooking.
- Simple to Prepare. Just a few minutes of pulsing in the food processor makes it suitable for cooks of all levels, whether you’re a novice or an expert.
- Versatile Ingredient. You can use shiso pesto in various dishes such as pasta, sandwiches, and pizzas. It adds a fresh, herby taste to your meals.
Ingredient Notes
Make this simple shiso pesto by tossing a handful of ingredients into a food processor and blending until smooth.
- Green Shiso Leaves – I grow shiso in my garden, but you can buy fresh shiso in the produce area of any large Asian grocery store. If you can’t find shiso, you can substitute fresh Italian or Thai basil leaves.
- Slivered Almonds – Provide a creamy, rich, and subtly nutty taste. Toasting your nuts is essential for maximizing their flavour.
- Vegan Parmesan – My favourite is Violife’s vegan parmesan, and it tastes very similar to regular non-vegan parmesan.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves work best, but if necessary, substitute them with about 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder; taste it and add more as needed.
- Lemon Juice – Helps to keep the pesto’s vibrant appearance while adding a bright and tangy flavour. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Olive Oil – For the best tasting pesto, choose a high-quality olive; it will also help achieve the desired texture for this pesto.
- Salt – I used regular table salt, which helps bring out the other ingredients’ flavours.
Step By Step Instructions
1. Toast slivered almonds in a dry pan (no oil) over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate to stop it from cooking further.
2. Add shiso leaves, toasted slivered almonds, vegan parmesan, garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to a food processor.
3. Pulse until everything is well combined, stopping the food processor in between and use a spatula to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and season with additional vegan parmesan or salt, if desired.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Toast nuts: Toasting the nuts before adding them to the pesto can enhance their flavour. Dry-toast them in a pan until lightly browned.
- Adjust the texture: Blend longer for smoother pesto or pulse for chunkier texture as desired.
- Balance Flavors: Taste as you go and adjust the amount of garlic, parmesan, and salt to achieve the perfect balance for your palate.
Serving Ideas
This shiso pesto is an incredibly versatile sauce. Here are a few creative ideas to help inspire you.
- Pasta – Use this shiso pesto in my Mushroom Pesto Pasta recipe for a quick weeknight meal.
- Soup – Swirl pesto into soups like tomato basil or minestrone for added depth and richness.
- Pizza – Add pesto sauce to your pizzas and then top with your favourite toppings like vegan mozzarella, mushrooms, tomatoes or vegan chik’n.
- Sandwiches – Try spreading pesto on them with vegan cheese, plant-based deli meat, and roasted vegetables.
- Shiso Pesto Butter: Mix pesto with softened butter and use it to flavour grilled corn on the cob, baked potatoes, or rolls.
If you’re looking for another homemade sauce recipe, you might also love my Teriyaki Sauce!
(pictured above is my MUSHROOM PESTO PASTA recipe using this shiso pesto)
Storage
Store leftover pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent it from oxidizing, or cover the pesto directly with plastic wrap.
Or freeze extra pesto in ice cube trays for convenient portioning. Once frozen, transfer the pesto cubes to a sealed bag or container.
Frequently Asked Questions
If shiso isn’t available, fresh Italian or Thai basil will work wonderfully in this recipe. Fresh shiso leaves are readily available in the produce section of most major Asian grocery stores.
If you don’t have slivered almonds, you can use pine nuts, cashews, walnuts, or pecans as alternatives. Slivered almonds are a more cost-effective option than other nuts like pine nuts.
Low-quality or rancid olive oil can contribute to a bitter taste. Use the best olive oil that fits within your budget. Over-blending can also make pesto bitter. To avoid this, pulse the ingredients instead of blending continuously.
⭐️ WEEKNIGHT RECIPES
- Sticky Tofu (20 Minutes)
- Garlic Chili Udon Noodles
- Teriyaki Tofu (20 Minutes)
- Japanese Curry w/Chickpeas
- Vegan Mapo Tofu
DID YOU MAKE THIS VEGAN SHISO PESTO?
I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Kindly leave a comment or star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. Also, feel free to tag me on Instagram, as I enjoy seeing photos of your recipes.
Vegan Shiso Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed green shiso leaves (sub fresh Italian or Thai basil)
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup vegan parmesan, shredded
- 1-2 cloves garlic (depends how garlicky you like)
- half a lemon juiced
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Toast slivered almonds in a dry pan (no oil) over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate to stop it from cooking further.
- Add shiso leaves, toasted slivered almonds, vegan parmesan, garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to a food processor.
- Pulse until everything is well combined, stopping the food processor in between and use a spatula to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste and season with additional vegan parmesan or salt, if desired (makes about 3/4 cup of pesto).
Video
Notes
- Toast nuts: Toasting the nuts before adding them to the pesto can enhance their flavour. Dry-toast them in a pan until lightly browned.
- Adjust the texture: Blend longer for smoother pesto or pulse for chunkier texture as desired.
- Balance Flavors: Taste as you go and adjust the amount of garlic, parmesan, and salt to achieve the perfect balance for your palate.
Greatest pesto in the world! Incredibly easy to make. I was even able to use an old blender which doesn’t always do the best job and it still killed it. The flavour is so fresh and yummy. I was so obsessed that I immediately prepared a second batch as soon as I took my first bite. I really love dipping rice crackers in this!