(Dairy Free)
With just a few ingredients you can create a delicious dairy free pesto in under 15 minutes! This recipe is packed with vibrant basil flavor and using walnuts in place of pine nuts means it’s easy on the wallet too! When you need a flavor boost for a soup or sauce, reach for this pesto and just swirl some in!
What is pesto?
Originating in Northern Italy around the 16th century, pesto traditionally consisted of basil, garlic, and pine nuts pounded together in a mortar and pestle, with Parmesan cheese and olive oil until it formed a smooth paste. Pesto, a Genovese word, means to pound or crush. Now a days pesto is usually blended in a food processor for speed and convenience.
Why use walnuts in pesto instead of traditional pine nuts?
Walnuts are a perfect substitute for pine nuts and much more wallet friendly! Pine nuts are expensive due to how labor intensive they are to harvest. The cones must be handpicked then dried in the sun. Once dried, the scales of the cones open, revealing the pine nuts within. At this time the nuts can finally be removed.
I just can’t bring myself to spend so much per pound for an ingredient that I don’t need much of, especially when there are perfectly good substitutions.
What do you use in place of Parmesan cheese to make this dairy free?
I really love to use Go Veggie grated Parmesan for this. It’s salty, nutty, and complex in flavor, just like real Parmesan cheese.
How can you use Pesto?
Pesto is a great flavor booster for soups, sauces and even as a spread. Example- Switch up your usual pizza by using pesto instead of pizza sauce. Add some dairy free mozzarella and some thinly sliced tomato for a fresh flavor twist. Or use it in my recipe for Turkey Pesto & Roasted Red Pepper Panini!
How to make this pesto
- Just add all the ingredients into a food processor except for the oil
2. Pulse until most of the basil leaves have been roughly chopped.
3. If your food processor has an oil pouring spout, slowly pour in ¼ cup oil while blending on low speed until smooth. If you don’t have a spout, remove lid, pour in ¼ cup oil and blend on low speed until smooth.
4. Remove lid and stir. If the pesto looks a little dry, add in half the remaining oil and blend. Check if you’ve reached your desired consistency. If not, stir, add in the remaining oil and blend again. This recipe will make 3/4 cup of Pesto.
Pesto should be easily spreadable, not a thin sauce. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Enjoy!
How do you Store Pesto?
You can store pesto in the fridge for up to 2 weeks by pouring a thin layer of olive oil over the surface to prevent oxidation and covering tightly.
Can I freeze pesto?
Pesto freezes beautifully and thaws quickly, due to its high oil content. I like to freeze pesto in ice cube trays and pop them out as needed. Pesto can be frozen for up to 6 months!
Basil Walnut Pesto
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Citrus Zester
- 1 Lemon Squeezer
- 1 Sifter
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz. package Fresh Basil or 3 cups Fresh Basil Leaves stems removed
- ¼ cup chopped Walnuts
- 2 Tbs sifted Go Veggie Grated Parmesan
- 1 Garlic Clove roughly chopped
- 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tsp Lemon Zest
- ⅓-½ cup Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into the food processor, except for the olive oil.
- Pulse until most of the basil leaves have been roughly chopped.
- If your food processor has an oil pouring spout, slowly pour in ¼ cup oil while blending on low speed until smooth. If you don't have a spout, remove lid, pour in ¼ cup oil and blend on low speed until smooth.
- Remove lid and stir. If the pesto looks a little dry, add in half the remaining oil and blend. Check if you've reached your desired consistency. If not, stir, add in the remaining oil and blend again. This recipe will make 3/4 cup of Pesto.
- Pesto should be easily spreadable, not a thin sauce. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Enjoy!
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