Dairy-Free Pesto

5 from 6 votes

This Dairy-Free Pesto is naturally vegan and made to add flavor to so many recipes. From salads to side dishes and main courses, a spoonful of this vegan pesto will amplify almost every recipe. Use it with eggs for breakfast, salmon for dinner, and so much more!

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Total Time15

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American, Italian

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Author: Reed Dunn

Ingredients

4 cups basil leaves
⅓ 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.

Video

Notes

Toasting the pine nuts: For a deeper, nuttier flavor, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until just golden. Let them cool before blending so they don't warm the basil.
Mixing the greens: You'll need about 4 cups of greens total. Swap part of the basil for parsley, arugula, spinach, or mint.
Nut-free options: Use sunflower or pumpkin seeds in place of the pine nuts.
Cheesier flavor: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast along with the lemon. Nutritional yeast is Whole30 compatible.
Thinner pesto: For a sauce you can drizzle, add more olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time. You also can add a few tablespoons of the pesto to a bowl and whisk in extra olive oil for a dressing-style sauce.
Storage: Spoon the pesto into a jar and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top before sealing. The oil keeps air out so the pesto stays green. Refrigerate for up to 5 days, and stir the oil in before using.
Freezing: Portion the pesto into silicone portion molds, freeze until solid, and transfer to a zip-top bag. It stays fresh for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for use.

Nutrition