I’ve been making this pâté regularly for the best part of 30 years. It is my basil and pumpkin seed pâté, which you could also call a vegan pesto pâté.
It involves soaking the pumpkin seeds overnight, or for at least a few hours, to make them softer and easier to blend. Then you simply add a huge handful of fresh basil leaves, fresh lemon juice, garlic and sea salt. That’s it.
Unlike traditional Italian pesto, this version contains no cheese, pine nuts or added oil. The soaked pumpkin seeds create their own lovely richness and give it a thicker texture.
You can use it as a pâté, spread or dip. It is fabulous on crackers, in a wrap or served as part of a delicious salad.
Why soak the pumpkin seeds?
Soaking the pumpkin seeds softens them, which makes them much easier to blend into a creamy pâté.
I normally soak them overnight, although a few hours will also work. Make sure you cover them with plenty of water because they will absorb some of it as they soak.
Once soaked, drain them thoroughly before blending.
A simple wholefood vegan pesto
What I love about this recipe is its simplicity. There are only five ingredients, with all of the natural richness coming from the pumpkin seeds themselves.
Pumpkin seeds contain protein, naturally nourishing fats and minerals including magnesium and zinc. Combine them with an abundance of fresh basil, lemon and garlic and you have something beautifully vibrant and full of goodness.
This isn’t intended to be exactly like a traditional, oil-based pesto. It is thicker and more substantial, which means that it also works incredibly well as a pâté or dip.
Ways to serve pumpkin seed pesto
There are lots of lovely ways to enjoy this:
- Spread generously on crackers
- Use as a filling in a wrap
- Serve as a dip
- Add a spoonful to a salad plate
- Serve with fresh vegetable sticks
- Use as a simple sandwich filling
It is an excellent addition when you are creating a selection of different salads, dips and other colourful plant-based foods.
My favourite was to enjoy it is on my homemade oatcakes.
Tips for blending your pâté
A hand blender is my go to blender for this recipe. It works particularly well for this recipe because it’s highly efficient at blending and means that you don’t have to scrape down the sides like you would with a bullet or jug blender.
You can also use a small food processor, regular blender or bullet blender. The mixture is naturally quite thick, so you may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times if it starts clumping together.
The amount of juice in a lemon can vary, so taste your pâté once blended and adjust the sea salt or lemon if needed.
Watch my pumpkin seed pesto video
You can watch my video below to see exactly how I make this simple basil and pumpkin seed pâté.
Vegan Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pate Recipe
A delicious vegan pate using pumpkin seeds and fresh basil leave, to create a thick oil-free pesto type dip or spread.
Ingredients
- 100g pumpkin seeds
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice of 1 medium-sized lemon
- 60g fresh basil leaves
- Pinch of sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Put the pumpkin seeds in a bowl and cover with at least twice their volume of water. Leave them to soak overnight, or for a minimum of a few hours.
- Drain the soaked pumpkin seeds thoroughly.
- Crush the garlic clove and remove the skin.
- Juice the lemon.
- Add the soaked pumpkin seeds, garlic, lemon juice, basil leaves and sea salt to a suitable container.
- Blend everything together using a hand blender. You can also use a small jug or bullet blender, but you may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
- Taste and add a little more sea salt or lemon juice if needed.
- Transfer to a clean jar with a lid and keep in the fridge. Enjoy within 2 to 3 days.
Other recipes with pumpkin seeds…
My classic beetroot bites made with pumpkin seeds and almonds
My super seed flapjacks are a very delicious, vegan and gluten-free
Leave A Comment