Description
This bright, creamy pesto recipe without pine nuts delivers bold basil flavor with affordable, allergy-friendly swaps like walnuts or sunflower seeds.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
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2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
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⅓ cup walnuts (or almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds)
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⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
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2–3 garlic cloves, peeled
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½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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Juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
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¼ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
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Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Optional Add-Ins:
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Handful of baby arugula or spinach
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Red pepper flakes
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Zest of 1 lemon
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¼ avocado (for creaminess)
Instructions
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Prep Ingredients: Rinse and dry basil. Toast nuts/seeds in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes if desired.
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Blend Base: In a food processor or blender, combine basil, nuts, Parmesan (or nutritional yeast), garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse to a chunky texture.
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Add Olive Oil: With processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until sauce is thick and creamy.
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Taste & Adjust: Add more lemon, salt, or oil as needed. Stir in any optional add-ins at the end.
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Serve or Store: Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container with a layer of olive oil on top. Lasts 5–7 days in fridge or up to 4 months in freezer.
Notes
- Use nutritional yeast for a vegan version.
- For a nut-free version, use sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
- Add arugula or spinach to boost greens and flavor complexity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg