Pesto Without Pine Nuts
Make homemade Pesto Without Pine Nuts for all your Italian dishes! This pesto recipe is simple to make with easily available ingredients and tastes so close to the real deal.
Every summer, I have plenty of basil leaves from our basil plants. The harvest gets used in pasta dishes and making this pesto recipe that has become our favorite.
Traditional basil pesto uses pine nuts which is super expensive. This recipe uses walnuts instead and is very affordable and readily available. No to mention the taste, it’s light, tastes fresh and delicious.
This pesto recipe can be used on pasta (my favorite way to use it!)like this pesto orzo salad, slathered on a sandwich, or to flavor your meat – pesto chicken anyone? This pesto is great as a dipping sauce with my Air Fryer Ravioli.
Ingredients
Here is all you’ll need to make this delicious homemade pesto.
*Scroll down to the recipe card for measurements.
- Basil
- Parsley
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Parmesan cheese or pecorino romano
- Garlic cloves
- Walnuts
- Lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make Pesto Without Pine Nuts
*Scroll below for the printable recipe card and ingredient measurements.
Clean: Clean and wash the basil and parsley. Shake off any excess water.
Toast: Gently toast the walnuts in a pan to slightly brown them and release their flavor.
Blend: Add all the ingredients, minus the oil, into the food processor and blend. Slowly add in the olive oil and blend until you get a creamy texture.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh ingredients: use fresh basil leaves and parsley if possible.
- Roast the nuts: Try gently toasting the nuts first. This brings out their deep, nutty flavor.
- Balance the flavors: Without the distinctive taste of pine nuts, you might want to play around with your ingredients a bit. Perhaps add a little extra garlic or an extra sprinkle of parmesan or a dash of lemon juice to keep things flavorful.
- Process until smooth: When using different nuts, they may take a bit longer to process into a smooth consistency. Just be patient and let your food processor or blender work its magic.
How To Use Pesto
There isn’t a wrong way to use and serve basil pesto. Here are some of my favorites:
- Pasta: The classic! Toss your hot pasta directly in some pesto, and voila! You’ve got a quick, delicious meal.
- Sandwich Spread: Replace your usual mayo or butter with some fresh pesto. It’ll take your sandwich game to new heights, trust me.
- Dressing: Mix some pesto with a bit of vinegar and use it as a refreshing, flavorful salad dressing.
- Marinade: Marinate your proteins: chicken or fish in your pesto. The flavors will soak in, ensuring a mouthwatering meal.
- Pizza Sauce: Swapping your traditional tomato sauce for pesto on a homemade pizza can be a game changer.
- Roasted Veggies: Toss your veggies in pesto before roasting them. You’ll end up with the most flavorful veggies ever.
Store And Freeze Your Homemade Pesto
Simply transfer the leftover pesto into an airtight container and drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent it from discoloring. Then, secure the lid and pop it into the refrigerator. Your pesto will keep fresh for about one week.
If you need it to last longer, no worries! Pesto freezes beautifully. Spoon your pesto into ice cube trays, freeze until solid, then transfer the pesto cubes into a freezer bag and stash them in the freezer.
This way, your pesto will stay fresh for up to 6 months and you can use it portion by portion, whenever you need an extra layer of flavor in your dishes!
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Recipe
Homemade Pesto Without Pine Nuts
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups basil packed
- 1 cup parsley packed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ½ cup parmesan finely grated
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by thoroughly rinsing and drying your fresh basil and parsley to remove any dirt.
- Toast the walnuts gently in a pan over medium heat. This is totally optional but adds flavor.
- Into the bowl of a food processor, add basil and parsley, toasted walnuts, garlic cloves, finely grated parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- With the food processor running, slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil.
- Process the mixture until you achieve the consistency you prefer. You can have the pesto a bit chunkier or process a bit more until it's nice and smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
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