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If you're a vegetarian who loves Italian food, chances are you've ordered pesto pasta or bought pre-made pesto in jars thinking, "This is the perfect meat-free meal"
I'm sorry to burst your bubble but traditional pesto isn't actually vegetarian.
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Wait, what? How is pesto not vegetarian?
The culprit lies in one seemingly innocent ingredient: Parmesan cheese (aka Parmigiano-Reggiano).
While it's made from milk, Parmesan isn't vegetarian because it contains animal rennet. Rennet is an enzyme derived from the stomach lining of calves and is traditionally used to coagulate milk in the cheese-making process.
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And under strict EU laws, anything labeled Parmigiano-Reggiano must contain animal rennet. That means any pesto containing real Parmesan is, by definition, not vegetarian.
This includes most store-bought jars of pesto, whether they're labeled "basil pesto", "traditional pesto", or even "green pesto".
If you're a vegetarian, don't fret. There are vegetarian pesto options available.
For vegetarian options, you just need to know what to look for:
1. Pesto labeled "vegetarian" or "vegan"
Some brands make it easy by clearly stating "vegetarian-friendly" or "vegan" on the label. These versions usually swap out Parmesan with alternatives like:
- Vegetarian hard cheeses made with microbial or plant-based rennet
- Nutritional yeast
- Cashews or almonds blended into the sauce
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2. Be sure to check the ingredient list for keywords like:
- Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano (non-vegetarian)
- Vegetarian hard cheese or non-animal rennet (vegetarian-friendly)
3. Make your own vegetarian pesto at home
Homemade pesto is surprisingly easy and you get full control over the ingredients. Here's a quick vegetarian version you can try:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts (or walnuts/almonds)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (or a veg hard cheese)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Blend everything in a food processor until smooth. Voilà, your very own vegetarian pesto!
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