Easy Pesto Recipe without Pine Nuts

This vegan basil pesto is easy to make without pine nuts! Use walnuts, basil, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice to make a quick healthy pesto in just minutes. Great for dinner to top chicken or fish, or mix together to make delicious pesto pasta. Delicious vegan recipe without cheese, using nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.

Vegan Basil Pesto Recipe without Pine Nuts

Last summer when I had a very bountiful basil plant I decided that I needed to make some pesto before summer was out and my basil plant went bye bye.

I was looking to create an easy vegan pesto without pine nuts because (1) easy is always better and (2) pine nuts are crazy expensive!

I like pine nuts as much as anyone, however at $20+ a pound, I figured a homemade pesto recipe with walnuts would be much more budget-friendly.

Since I started to make this recipe, I’ve been making this quick basil pesto so much at home! One of my absolute favorite ways to use it is to spruce up a turkey sandwich.

You are going to want this pesto recipe for when basil season is here! In the meantime, grab some basil from your local grocer and let’s make healthy vegan pesto!

How to Make Healthy Walnut Pesto

Here are the ingredients you need to make it:

• Basil: 2 cups of fresh basil
• Nutritional Yeast: this is the ingredient you will swap to make pesto without parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast gives the cheesy flavor without adding in dairy.
• Olive Oil
• Walnuts: You may also swap walnuts for cashews to make cashew basil pesto
• Lemon Juice
• Garlic
• Salt + Pepper

How to Make Pesto without Pine Nuts

Here are the steps to make the recipe:

1. Using a food processor, pulse basil until chopped into small pieces.
2. Add in nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice and walnuts.
3. Pulse pesto until it is well incorporated.
4. Add olive oil in a constant stream until basil pesto is smooth and consistency is to your liking.

Tips for Making Vegan Walnut Pesto without Parmesan

Pesto Substitution Ideas

Pine nuts and parmesan cheese are not necessary to make delicious pesto. Here are a few substitution ideas for making pesto without pine nuts or parmesan:

You may substitute any of the following for pine nuts: cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts all make excellent substitutions.

For parmesan cheese, consider substituting: asiago, pecorino romano or nutritional yeast for a dairy free pesto.

Consider replacing olive oil with avocado oil or avocados for a delicious fat alternative.

How to Store Pesto

Store pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Pesto can be easily frozen in ice cub trays and then stored in a freezer proof container for up to 6 months. Alternatively, pesto can also be stored frozen in an airtight container for 6-9 months.

Other Delicious Basil Recipes from Momma Fit Lyndsey

• Tomato Basil Quinoa Soup
• Bruschetta Caprese
• Grilled Chicken Caprese Pizza Quesadilla

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