Vegan Basil Pesto for Home Cooks: 7 Ways to Use It Beyond Pasta

Pesto does not need to be reserved for pasta night. Ready-to-use vegan basil pesto works as a spread, dip, dressing, marinade, topping and finishing sauce across breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Open. Spoon. Serve. No food processor, chopping or recipe required. Eskal Vegan Pesto Jar can be used in approximately 30 seconds, making it a practical option for Australian home cooks.

Featured Pack

Eskal Vegan Pesto Jar : 350g

The Eskal Vegan Pesto Jar is suited to regular home use, smaller households and practical meal preparation.

• 350g chilled jar
• Fresh basil and cashews
• Garlic, torula yeast and aromatic herbs
• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Gluten-free
• Ready-to-use format
• Contains cashews, soy and sulphites
• Refrigerate at 2–8°C
• Consume within 7 days after opening

Check the product label before serving where allergy management is required.

1. Build Sandwiches and Wraps

Use vegan basil pesto in place of butter, mayonnaise or other sandwich spreads. The concentrated basil, garlic and cashew flavour distributes easily across bread without additional preparation.

Quick combinations

• Sourdough + pesto + tomato + avocado
• Wrap + pesto + salad leaves + grilled vegetables
• Panini + pesto + dairy-free cheese + mushrooms
• Turkish bread + pesto + roasted capsicum + rocket
• Toasted sandwich + pesto + white beans + spinach

Apply a thin layer to both sides of the bread for stronger flavour distribution. Add pesto after cooking if a brighter basil flavour is preferred.

Portion guide

• Toast or sandwich: 10–15g
• Wrap: 15–20g
• Large panini: 20–25g

The jar format also makes pesto suitable for weekday lunches when a full vegan pesto recipe is unnecessary.

2. Prepare Bruschetta and Dips

Pesto provides an immediate base for appetisers, snack plates and light meals.

Bruschetta

Toast slices of sourdough or a crusty baguette. Spread with pesto, then add:

• Diced tomato
• White beans
• Roasted capsicum
• Marinated mushrooms
• Avocado
• Dairy-free cheese

Finish with cracked black pepper or a small amount of lemon juice. Add the pesto after toasting to preserve its fresh herb profile.

Dip

Serve pesto directly as a dip with:

• Carrot and cucumber sticks
• Crackers
• Breadsticks
• Roasted potato wedges
• Steamed green beans
• Flatbread

For a thinner dip, mix 60g pesto with 30g dairy-free yoghurt, plant-based cream or water. Stir until smooth. Do not heat the dip.

3. Use It as a Pizza or Flatbread Base

Replace tomato sauce with vegan pesto for a different pizza format. This works with homemade dough, store-bought pizza bases, naan, pita or flatbread.

Assembly

1. Spread 30–45g pesto over one medium pizza base.
2. Add vegetables, legumes or plant-based cheese.
3. Bake according to the base instructions.
4. Add a small spoonful of pesto after baking if additional basil flavour is required.

Topping combinations

• Zucchini + mushrooms + dairy-free mozzarella
• Potato + rosemary + roasted garlic
• Tomato + olives + capsicum
• Pumpkin + red onion + rocket
• Plant-based chicken-style pieces + spinach

Avoid applying an excessive layer before baking. A thin coating provides flavour while allowing the base to cook evenly. For a sharper finish, loosen a small amount of pesto with water and drizzle it over the cooked pizza.

Use the 350g jar for home pizza nights, flatbreads and smaller-batch preparation.

4. Make a Salad or Grain-Bowl Dressing

Ready-to-use pesto becomes a dressing when diluted. This is one of the fastest ways to convert leftovers into a complete meal.

Basic dressing ratio

• 30g vegan pesto
• 15ml lemon juice or vinegar
• 15–30ml water or olive oil
• Black pepper, optional

Whisk in a bowl or shake in a sealed jar. Add liquid gradually until the required consistency is reached.

Suitable applications

• Green salads
• Potato salad
• Tomato and cucumber salad
• Cold couscous
• Quinoa bowls
• Rice bowls
• Chickpea salads
• Roasted vegetable salads

For meal preparation, store the dressing separately and add it immediately before serving. This helps maintain the texture of leafy greens and grains.

5. Marinate Tofu, Tempeh and Vegetables

Pesto can be used as a short marinade or a finishing glaze. Thin it first so the mixture coats evenly.

Quick marinade

Combine:

• 60g vegan basil pesto
• 15ml lemon juice
• 15ml water

Coat sliced tofu, tempeh, eggplant, zucchini or mushrooms. Rest for 15–30 minutes, then bake, grill or pan-fry.

For tofu, press out excess moisture before applying the marinade. For vegetables, use the mixture immediately before cooking to avoid drawing out unnecessary moisture.

Reserve a clean portion of pesto for serving. Do not return pesto that has contacted raw or uncooked ingredients to the original jar.

6. Finish Roast Vegetables

Roast vegetables first, then add pesto once they are cooked. This preserves the basil aroma and prevents the sauce from drying out during extended oven cooking.

Suitable vegetables

• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Carrots
• Sweet potato
• Zucchini
• Green beans
• Cauliflower
• Brussels sprouts

Toss hot vegetables with 10–15g pesto per serving. Add more only if required. The residual heat softens the pesto and helps it coat the vegetables without additional cooking.

For a tray meal, combine roasted vegetables with chickpeas or white beans, then finish with pesto and lemon juice. Serve as a side dish, toast topping or filling for wraps.

7. Upgrade Grain Bowls and Egg-Free Breakfast Bowls

Pesto adds a concentrated herb component to grain-based meals without requiring a separate sauce.

Grain-bowl formula

• 1 cup cooked grain
• ½ cup chickpeas, lentils or beans
• 1 cup cooked or raw vegetables
• 15–20g vegan pesto
• Optional seeds, herbs or dairy-free cheese

Use quinoa, brown rice, couscous, freekeh or pearl barley. Stir pesto through the grain while warm, or drizzle it over the completed bowl.

Egg-free breakfast bowl

For a savoury breakfast, combine:

• Crispy potatoes or sweet potato
• Sautéed mushrooms
• Spinach or kale
• Avocado
• White beans or tofu
• 15g pesto

Add pesto at the end of cooking. It provides the herb and garlic component normally supplied by a breakfast sauce, without eggs or dairy.

For a breakfast wrap, spoon the same combination into a tortilla and add a small amount of dairy-free cheese.

Use Pesto Efficiently

A ready-to-use vegan pesto is most useful when treated as a multi-purpose ingredient rather than a single pasta sauce.

Keep these quantities available

• 10–15g: toast, roast vegetables or breakfast bowl
• 15–25g: sandwich, wrap or grain bowl
• 30–45g: pizza or flatbread base
• 30g: dressing base
• 60g: tofu or vegetable marinade
• 60–90g: dip preparation

Always use a clean utensil when removing pesto from the container. Keep the product sealed and follow the storage instructions on the label.

Select a Vegan Basil Pesto for Home Cooking

Choose Eskal 350g for a convenient chilled jar suited to everyday home cooking, smaller households, lunches, pizza, dips, dressings, marinades and roast vegetables.

It provides a practical dairy-free pesto option for spreads, dips, pizza, dressings, marinades, roast vegetables and grain bowls.

Add to cart. Select pack size. Keep refrigerated after opening.