This is the easiest pesto without pine nuts to make! Use walnuts, basil, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice to make a quick healthy pesto in just 6 minutes. A great sauce to top chicken or salmon, or mix with potatoes or pasta. Delicious vegan pesto recipe without cheese, using nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
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There are plenty of times when I will buy store bought pesto. However, when basil is in season, it just makes sense to make it homemade.
Whether you have a bunch of basil or have a bountiful basil plant, making pesto is super simple and easy. You can use this sauce for so many dinner dishes!
Pine nuts tend to be expensive so this pesto without pine nuts includes a much cheaper option for a substitute - walnuts. I like pine nuts as much as anyone, however at $20+ a pound, I figured a pesto without pine nuts recipe would be much more budget-friendly.
Why You're Going to Love this Recipe!
- Easy and simple to make - few ingredients and just a few quick steps.
- Budget friendly - Walnut pesto is much less expensive than using pine nuts.
- Great for many dietary restrictions - naturally gluten free, paleo, Whole30 and vegan.
- Quick to make - No blanching necessary and you can make this pesto without pine nuts in just 6 minutes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Basil: 2 cups of fresh basil. Alternatively, you can substitute a variety of leafy greens such as spinach, kale, arugula or herbs like parsley, cilantro or mint.
- Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast gives the cheesy flavor without adding in dairy. Alternatively, you can use parmesan cheese if you don't need it to be dairy free or use asiago or pecorino romano to make it without parmesan.
- Olive Oil: you can also use another mild oil like avocado or grape seed oil. Even ripe avocados will work.
- Walnuts: You may also swap walnuts for cashews which will further enhance the cheesy flavor.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cook time and temperatures.
- Using a food processor, pulse basil until chopped into small pieces.
- Add in nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and walnuts.
- Pulse pesto until it is well incorporated.
- Add olive oil in a constant stream until basil pesto is smooth, creamy and consistency is to your liking.
Make Ahead, Freezer, Storage & Serving
- Make Ahead: Can be made up to one week in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Alternatively, freeze for longer storage.
- Freezer: Easy to freeze in ice cub trays and then stored in a freezer-proof container for up to 6 months. Alternatively, it can also be stored frozen in an airtight container for 6-9 months.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Serving: Serve with salmon, over chicken, mixed into pasta or potatoes. Use in pesto tortellini pasta salad, orzo pesto salad, pesto chicken wraps, or pesto-crusted salmon.
Expert Tips
- Use a food processor or high-speed blender to ensure the best texture.
- Toast walnuts in the oven at 350F for 6-8 minutes for a deeper flavor.
FAQS
Cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts all make excellent substitutions.
No. They do give the original classic flavor but due to their cost, I often use walnuts instead.
Making pesto without cheese is super easy. Just swap in nutritional yeast to give the cheesy flavor with no dairy.
Related Recipes
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Easy Pesto Recipe without Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse basil until chopped into small pieces.
- Add in nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and walnuts.
- Pulse pesto until it is well incorporated.
- Add olive oil in a constant stream until basil pesto is smooth and consistency is to your liking.
Notes
- Use a food processor or high-speed blender to ensure the best texture.
- Toast walnuts in the oven at 350F for 6-8 minutes for a deeper flavor.
- Make Ahead: Can be made up to one week in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Alternatively, freeze for longer storage.
- Freezer: Easy to freeze in ice cub trays and then stored in a freezer-proof container for up to 6 months. Alternatively, it can also be stored frozen in an airtight container for 6-9 months.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Serving: Serve with salmon, over chicken, mixed into pasta or potatoes.
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