This Dairy-Free Pesto is a staple around my house, and it’s also the inspiration for the namesake of this blog. I originally started making this version of pesto to keep my Whole30 meals and recipes interesting. I almost always have it on hand to drizzle on top of eggs, stir into pasta dishes or swirl into mashed potatoes (obviously)!
While traditional Basil Pesto is made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil, I simply remove the Parmesan in this version to keep it Whole30 compatible and anti-inflammatory. It’s a wonderful sauce to have on hand if you’re lactose intolerant, vegan or just avoiding dairy at the moment.
Tips for the Best Dairy-Free Pesto
- Toast the pine nuts: To get a deeper, richer flavor, add your pine nuts to a dry skillet and toast them for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until they just start to brown.
- Mix in extra herbs: Stretch the recipe by swapping in a handful of Italian parsley. You can even try adding spinach or arugula to find the combination you like best.
- Add a cheese alternative: If you want that cheesy flavor of a traditional Genovese pesto, you can incorporate a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
- Spice it up: While the recipe calls for just 1 clove of garlic, add 2-3 if that’s your thing. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes also adds a little kick.
How to Make Pesto
The most classic type of pesto is pesto alla Genovese, which is an Italian recipe that is made by crushing or grinding up the ingredients. In fact, pesto comes from the Italian word pestare, which literally means “to grind”.
For this Dairy-Free Pesto, I find the best results come from making it in a food processor. Start by pulsing together the basil, pine nuts and garlic. Once that is all broken down, add in the salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest and slowly pour in the olive oil while the food processor is running on low.
Ways to Use Pesto
You can add a drizzle of pesto to just about any dish. Here are some of my favorite recipes that get a boost from a spoonful of pesto.
- Date Night Sea Scallops: This dinner is a favorite, and it comes together quickly with the burst of flavor coming from a drizzle of pesto.
- Egg & Arugula Pesto Pizza: Pesto makes a perfect sauce for pizza night, and this version is topped with a runny egg that pairs wonderfully with the bright sauce.
- Spring Pesto & Potato Salad: A more perfect combo doesn’t exist, and this one is picnic perfection.
Also, you can easily stir a couple spoons of pesto into mayonnaise for a bright aioli or whisk in additional olive oil for a vinaigrette to dress up a salad or roasted vegetables.
Pro Tip for Storage
Keep your pesto vibrant and green by placing it in a jar and adding a thin layer of olive oil to the top before securing the lid. This will lock in the bright green and keep air out, so the pesto doesn’t oxidize and start to turn brown. When it’s time to use the pesto, simple stir in the layer of olive oil and spoon it into your favorite dish.
Ingredients
- 4 cups basil leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
Add basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic clove to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are well chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add zest and juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper to the food processor, and run on low for about 20 seconds. Slowly drizzle olive oil into the top of the food processor, while continuing to run on low.
Store pesto in the refrigerator in a jar or air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Basil leaves can be mixed up with other greens. You'll need about 4 cups of greens total. Good substitutes include a mix of basil with parsley, arugula or any other soft green you enjoy.
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