Vegetarian Pesto

It always seems to use non-veggie cheese :frown:

The tomato/olive-type-stuff seems to be ok, but it's not as nice as classic, basiltastic pesto joy.

Does anyone know of any vegetarian-friendly green pesto at a reasonable price?

:cool:

Thankye

Reply 1

bexicle89

14

You could try making yourself with pine nuts, basil, olive oil and cheese.
Is it just they use rennet? If so why don't you spend a quid more and buy a nicer brand that uses parmesan or something.

Reply 2

ImperceptibleNinja

OP

13

bexicle89

You could try making yourself with pine nuts, basil, olive oil and cheese.
Is it just they use rennet? If so why don't you spend a quid more and buy a nicer brand that uses parmesan or something.

I guess I could make my own, but I usually eat it when I'm low on time, so it kind of defeats the purpose.

I've not found any brands that are specifically vegetarian friendly, regardless of price. They never say that the cheese has used rennet, but it's pretty much the only explanation I can come up with.

Reply 3

Segat1

16

Hmm, you could make up a batch and freeze little portions in bags to take out when you need? Also, try this.

Reply 4

BlackpoolCraig

11

If you're desperate, I've found some online, albeit at a price. (Plus P&P I presume) The store also sells vegetarian marshmallows too. (Well, a kit you can use to make them)

Vegan Pesto
What I'd recommend is to look at supermarket own brands (If you haven't already) I'd imagine they'd use vegetarian cheese simply because it's usually cheaper. And I'd expect them to have a V sign if it is suitable.

If that fails, you can always have a go at making your own. i'm sure you can find a recipe if you look around, and freeze it.

Reply 5

200428

3

Pesto isn't normally vegetarian?! Where's the non-veggie bits?

The Sainsbury's 'italian' one is tasty good...and...well...it certainly doesn't taste like it's got meat in it?

EDIT: I just checked, the ingredients on it specify that it uses veggie rennet in their cheese, so it should be okay

Reply 6

Mithra

2

sadie-kiki

Pesto isn't normally vegetarian?!

The Sainsbury's 'italian' one is tasty good...and...well...it certainly doesn't taste like it's got meat in it?

Have a look

They mean Vegan.

Vegans often seem to just describe themselves as vegetarian, has caused to get some really odd questions in the past too :shifty:

.

Reply 7

ImperceptibleNinja

OP

13

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

To clarify: I'm vegetarian, so I don't mind the pesto having cheese in. However, if the cheese is made using animal bi-products enzymes [instead of vegetarian alternatives], then I don't eat it.
Unfortunately, most of the kinds of cheese they use to make pesto isn't specifically vegetarian, which means they'll probably have used enzymes from an animal source to make the cheese. This covers every pesto I've found in Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons, except some of the tomato/olive pestos.

Ooh, I must find me a Sainsbury's....

Reply 8

Nynyflower

18

BlackpoolCraig

If you're desperate, I've found some online, albeit at a price. (Plus P&P I presume) The store also sells vegetarian marshmallows too. (Well, a kit you can use to make them)

Vegan Pesto
What I'd recommend is to look at supermarket own brands (If you haven't already) I'd imagine they'd use vegetarian cheese simply because it's usually cheaper. And I'd expect them to have a V sign if it is suitable.

If that fails, you can always have a go at making your own. i'm sure you can find a recipe if you look around, and freeze it.

Rep for the veggie marshmallows!!!

Reply 9

BlackpoolCraig

11

Nynyflower

Rep for the veggie marshmallows!!!

I knew it'd be worthwhile mentioning them, even if they had sod all to do with pesto!

Reply 10

SoundDevastation

13

Vegan pesto is available from all good health food shops and its gooood.

Reply 11

princess_sue

14

Try Sainsbury's

Reply 12

abc101

17

Apparently Jamie Oliver's pesto contains eggs from battery hens! I didn't even know pesto contained eggs?! But yeah, avoid his until he changes it!

Reply 13

dorisina46

Sacla do an organic pesto which is vegetarian. Only the organic one...and it's more expensive than the ordinary one.

Hope this helps

Reply 14

ImperceptibleNinja

OP

13

Thank you for all the replies =]
I'm yet to locate any veggie pesto in St Andrews, but you've got me on track for where to look next time I'm in Dundee or back home. Failing that, I will run to teh interwebz to buy some.

Reply 15

wallflower2

3

Sainsburys sell Meridian vegan pesto in their Free From section, also Sacla have an organic pesto which is vegetarian, as mentioned above.

Reply 16

fisherman

16

ImperceptibleNinja

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

To clarify: I'm vegetarian, so I don't mind the pesto having cheese in. However, if the cheese is made using animal bi-products enzymes [instead of vegetarian alternatives], then I don't eat it.
Unfortunately, most of the kinds of cheese they use to make pesto isn't specifically vegetarian, which means they'll probably have used enzymes from an animal source to make the cheese. This covers every pesto I've found in Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons, except some of the tomato/olive pestos.

Ooh, I must find me a Sainsbury's....

Why are you vegetarian? Because the production of milk involves the death of many of the unwanted male calves.

Reply 17

ImperceptibleNinja

OP

13

fisherman

Why are you vegetarian? Because the production of milk involves the death of many of the unwanted male calves.

I became vegetarian quite a few years ago. The change was encouraged by learning more about the treatment and lack of repect for animals in food production. I've never been particularly passionate about eating meat anyway, and it's not something I miss. I also avoid gelatine etc.
I've had a similar attitude towards milk and eggs more recently, and rarely purchase either in basic form. My reasons for not completely avoiding products containing them are:
- I do like cheese quite a lot :o:

- I enjoy baking for people. I use soya products wherever possible, and I'm aware there are vegan recipes that I should probably investiage further.
- I cook with my non-veggie flatmates, and I dislike being excessively awkward. A vegetarian lasagna with cheese sauce is a good midway point that will keep everyone relatively happy.
- I would need to put a lot more effort into keeping a vegan diet, and already have difficulty finding things I can eat. To get back to the original topic: I wanted pesto because it helps make a fast meal. I don't currently have time to feed myself properly, and that seems like a bad starting point for editing my diet restrictions.
- I live at home in the summer, and a vegan diet would compliment my family's diet even less well than my vegetarian diet already does.
I hope that answers your question :smile:

I would like to try a vegan diet at some point, when I can do it properly. In the meantime, I'm trying to make the best of what's, relatively speaking, a bad job :rolleyes:

Reply 18

Pureferret

I found this site/threadwhen looking for vegetarian pesto, and found this as well

http://www.sacla.co.uk/products/pesto

gives whether it' vegetarian or not! Pretty handy as Sacla is a very common brand. :woo:

Reply 19

ImperceptibleNinja

OP

13

Pureferret

I found this site/threadwhen looking for vegetarian pesto, and found this as well

http://www.sacla.co.uk/products/pesto

gives whether it' vegetarian or not! Pretty handy as Sacla is a very common brand. :woo:

Thanks. I contacted them a while ago (mainly pestering them to make more vegetarian stuff) and their reason to use non-veggie cheese is basically authenticity, which is fair enough.

I know this thread's a bit old now but if anyone's still interested then I found a Vegetarian Society approved pesto in the 'free from' section in Morrisons (where you find wheat/gluten-free stuff and so on). It's made with rehydrated basil so it's an awful colour, but it tastes pretty decent and it was cheaper than the Sacla pestos IIRC, unlike a lot of veggie pestos.

Vegetarian Pesto

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