Vegan Pesto Brands: Full List [90 Products Analyzed]

As I’ve been writing vegan guides to restaurants this year, I’ve encountered pesto a few times. Typically, the allergen menu for the restaurant will say it’s not vegan, as it contains dairy. But I knew there could be more to the answer. So I studied 90 products to finally answer the question… Is pesto vegan?

Out of 90 pesto products checked, 33 were vegan and 57 were not. This means about 37% of pesto products checked were vegan. The most common non-vegan ingredient was cheese. Other common animal ingredients were whey and egg lysozyme (used as a preservative).

Below, I’ll share some guidelines on which ingredients to look for. I’ll also share my full table of vegan pesto brands, along with the full results of my study into 90 pesto products.

Is Pesto Vegan?

Pesto is not typically vegan. Both green pesto and red pesto usually contains parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, or other cheese or dairy products.

However, an increasing number of vegan pesto products now exist, too.

How do you replace the cheese in pesto to make it vegan? Honestly, I’m not sure exactly how they do it.

A few vegan pesto recipes contain tofu—but this is not common. Often, it may just require an increase in oil or nuts when you remove the cheese.

Does Pesto Contain Dairy?

Most pesto contains dairy in the form of cheese and/or whey. I also found some pesto products that contained yogurt, cream, milk proteins, and other dairy products.

Does Pesto Contain Egg?

The majority of pesto products do not contain egg. However, there are a significant number of pesto products on the market that do contain egg lysozyme as a preservative for certain cheeses.

Since the egg lysozyme in pesto is always paired with cheese, it’s not like this egg is ruining an otherwise vegan product. But if you’re trying to be more strict about eggs than milk for some reason, then be aware of the egg issue in many of the brands covered below.

Does Pesto Contain Meat?

Pesto sauce does not typically contain meat. None of the products I analyzed contained ingredients that would typically be called meat. That said, there are two caveats to this:

1. “Pesto” dishes at restaurants often do contain meat, like chicken pesto. So be alert as you order pesto dishes at restaurants.
2. Some of the pesto options below contain “rennet,” which is an enzyme taken from calf stomachs. It is a byproduct of the veal industry, and it requires the death of baby calves.

What Pesto Brands Are Vegan?

First, here is a quick look at the 32 brands of pesto I analyzed. I’ve sorted each brand into “Vegan,” “Not Vegan,” or “Mixed.” In this case, “Mixed” just means that brand offers vegan pesto and non-vegan pesto. So you need to choose the right product.

Ready? Let’s dive in… You can click any of the brands to see more detail on their specific offerings.

Pesto Brand	Is It Vegan?
365	Not Vegan
Aldi (Priano)	Not Vegan
American Basil	Mixed
Amore Pesto Paste	Vegan
Barilla Pesto	Not Vegan
Bear Pond Farm	Mixed
Biona Organic	Vegan
Blaze Pizza	Not Vegan
Buitoni	Not Vegan
Cibo Naturals	Mixed
Classico	Not Vegan
Cucina & Amore	Mixed
Galiko	Not Vegan
Happy Pear	Vegan
Kirkland	Not Vegan
Le Conserve Della Nonna	Mixed
Le Grand	Mixed
Lidl	Not Vegan
Mellow Mushroom	Not Vegan
Mod Pizza	Not Vegan
Noodles And Company	Not Vegan
Organico	Vegan
Pieology	Not Vegan
Pizza Express	Not Vegan
Pizza Pizza	Not Vegan
Sacla	Mixed
Sainsbury’s	Not Vegan
Sauces ‘n Love	Mixed
Seggiano	Vegan
Tesco	Mixed
Which Wich	Not Vegan
Zest	Vegan

Now let’s take a look at all these specific pesto brands and products to see exactly which ones are vegan-friendly or not, and why.

Is 365 Pesto Vegan?

365 Pesto is not vegan, as it contains cheese and egg lysozyme (as a preservative). Here’s the full ingredients:

365 Everyday Value Basil Pesto Ingredients: “Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grana Padano Cheese (Cow’s Milk, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Animal Rennet, Egg Lysozyme), Cashews, Pecorino Romano Cheese (Sheep’s Milk, Salt, Cheese Cultures, Animal Rennet), Salt, Potato Starch, Pine Nuts, Garlic, Sugar, Lactic Acid.” (source)

Is Aldi Pesto Vegan? (Priano)

Aldi pesto is not vegan, as it contains cheese and egg lysozyme (as a preservative). Here are the two products I was specifically able to check:

Pesto	Is it Vegan?
Priano Rosso Pesto Sauce	No (Contains Cheese and Egg)
Priano Alla Genovese Pesto Sauce	No (Contains Cheese and Egg)

Is American Basil Pesto Vegan?

There are four flavors of vegan pesto produced by American Basil: Dairy-Free Pesto Perfectto, Pesto Habanero, Hemp Seed Pesto, and Roasted Garlic Pesto. The only non-vegan pesto varieties they make are Pesto Perfectto and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto.

Here’s the breakdown of all the flavors in a table:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
American Basil: Pesto Perfectto	No
American Basil: Sun Dried Tomato Pesto	No
American Basil: Dairy-Free Pesto Perfectto	Yes, Vegan!
American Basil: Pesto Habanero	Yes, Vegan!
American Basil: Hemp Seed Pesto	Yes, Vegan!
American Basil: Roasted Garlic Pesto	Yes, Vegan!

Is Amore Pesto Paste Vegan?

Amore Pesto Paste is considered vegan. It does not contain any cheese, dairy products, or other animal-derived ingredients. Here’s the full ingredients list:

Amore Pesto Paste Ingredients: “Basil, Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil, Salt, Pine Nuts, Garlic, Citric Acid.” (source)

Is Barilla Pesto Vegan?

Barilla pesto is not vegan. Both varieties available contain dairy products, and the Rustic Basil Pesto Sauce also contains egg (as a preservative). Here are the two varieties I was able to specifically check:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto Sauce	No (Contains Whey and Cheese)
Barilla Rustic Basil Pesto Sauce	No (Contains Cheese and Egg)

Is Bear Pond Farm Pesto Vegan?

Most flavors of Bear Pond Farm pesto are not vegan, as they contain dairy products like cheese and whey. However, two Bear Pond Farm pesto flavors are vegan: Three Greens Pesto and Spicy Vegan Pesto.

Interestingly, Bear Pond Farm actually got these two vegan flavors certified vegan, with a vegan V symbol on the package! That’s super helpful for quickly identifying the vegan option in the store—so kudos to Bear Pond Farm for taking the time to get the certification.

Here’s the breakdown of flavors I was able to check on Bear Pond Farm’s website:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
Premium Basil Pesto	No
Three Greens Pesto	Yes, Vegan!
Cilantro Pesto	No
Tomato Basil Pesto	No
Tomato Parmesan Pesto	No
Spicy Vegan Pesto	Yes, Vegan!

Is Biona Organic Pesto Vegan?

Biona organic pesto is considered vegan. It contains no cheese, dairy, or other animal-derived ingredients. Here are the two flavors I specifically got to check:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
Biona Organic Green Pesto	Vegan
Biona Organic Red Pesto	Vegan

Is Blaze Pizza Pesto Vegan?

Blaze Pizza’s pesto is not vegan, as it contains dairy. To get a vegan pizza at Blaze, avoid the pesto, and choose a red sauce instead.

Is Buitoni Pesto Vegan?

Buitoni pesto is not vegan. Their normal and Reduced Fat “Pesto With Basil” products both contain dairy products. Here’s the precise ingredients for the normal one:

Buitoni Pesto with Basil Ingredients: “Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Parmesan Cheese (Cultured Part-Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Romano Cheese (Cultured Part-Skim Cow’s Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Reduced Lactose Whey, Water, Whey Protein Concentrate, Pine Nuts, Garlic Puree, Walnuts, Salt, Spice.” (source)

Is Cibo Naturals Pesto Vegan?

The Sundried Tomato Pesto by Cibo Naturals is vegan. However, the other two flavors by Cibo Naturals—the Basil Pesto and the Artichoke Lemon Pesto—are not vegan, as they contain cheese.

Here’s that broken down in a table:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
Cibo Naturals Basil Pesto	No (Contains Cheese)
Cibo Naturals Sundried Tomato Pesto	Vegan
Cibo Naturals Artichoke Lemon Pesto	No (Contains Cheese)

Is Classico Pesto Vegan?

Classico pesto is not vegan, as it contains parmesan cheese. Here’s the full ingredients:

Classico Traditional Basil Pesto Ingredients: “Basil, Soybean Oil, Garlic, Parmesan Cheese (Cultured Part-Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Olive Oil, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Of Spice, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Water, Natural Flavor.” (source)

Is Cucina & Amore Pesto Vegan?

Most flavors of Cucina & Amore pesto are not vegan, as they contain cheese. However, Cucina & Amore’s “Vegan & Nut Free Basil Pesto” is confirmed 100% vegan.

Here’s the full list of flavors I was able to check out:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
Pesto alla Firenze (Artichoke Lemon Pesto)	No (Contains Cheese)
Pesto alla Genovese (Basil Pesto)	No (Contains Cheese)
Pesto alla Siciliana (Sun-dried Tomato Pesto)	No (Contains Cheese)
Vegan & Nut Free Basil Pesto	Vegan

Is Galiko Basil Pesto Vegan?

Galiko Basil Pesto is not vegan, as it contains cheese. I couldn’t find the official ingredients list, but this was listed on the Woolworth’s website.

Is Happy Pear Pesto Vegan?

Happy Pear Pesto is confirmed vegan. All three flavors—Lovely Basil Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, and Gorgeous Cashew Pesto—are free of cheese, whey, and other dairy ingredients.

In addition, Happy Pear also sells a Lovely Basil Pesto Pasta, and that is vegan, too. If you’re wondering how they make their pesto vegan, here are the full ingredients for their basil pesto:

Happy Pear Lovely Basil Pesto Ingredients: “Olive Oil, Cashew Nuts (32%) (Cashew Nuts, Rapeseed Oil), Fresh Basil (16%), Lemon Juice, Fresh Garlic, Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, Apple Cider Vinegar, Natural Flavour, Yeast Extract.” (source)

Is Kirkland Pesto Vegan? (Costco)

Kirkland pesto is not vegan, as it contains cheese. Specifically, it contains parmesan cheese and Pecorino Romano D.O.P. As a reminder, Kirkland is the store brand you can find at Costco. Here is the full ingredients list:

Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto Ingredients: “Basil Blend (Basil D.O.P. Genova, Oil, Sea Salt), Sunflower Oil, Parmesan Cheese, (Pasteurized Part-Skimmed Cows Milk, Cheese Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes), Pine Nuts, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pecorino Romano D.O.P. Cheese (Sheeps Milk, Rennet, Salt), Fresh Garlic, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Black Pepper.” (source)

Is Le Conserve Della Nonna Pesto Vegan?

The “Free From” pesto flavors by Le Conserve Della Nonna are considered vegan. However, the Pesto Alla Genovese flavor contains cheese.

I was unable to check other flavors, but I do believe more flavors exist by this company, so you may want to check them all. Here’s the table of what I found:

Pesto	Is It Vegan?
Pesto Alla Genovese	No (Contains Cheese)
“Free From” Green Pesto	Vegan
“Free From” Red Pesto	Vegan

Is Le Grand Pesto Vegan?

Most flavors of Le Grand pesto are vegan. However, Le Grand’s Classic Pesto is not vegan, as it contains Romano cheese.

Here is the full breakdown of Le Grand pesto flavors:

Pesto	Is it Vegan?
Le Grand Garden Pesto	Vegan
Le Grand Classic Pesto	No (Contains Romano Cheese)
Le Grand Live Pesto: Sun-Dried Tomato	Vegan
Le Grand Chimichurri	Vegan
Le Grand Spicy Olive & Jalapeno	Vegan

Here’s an example of the vegan ingredients found i