Go Back
Print Pin
No ratings yet

Basil Pesto - Nut Free, Dairy Free - 3 Ingredients

This fresh and flavorful Basil pesto is nut free, dairy free and made with 3 simple ingredients. Its easily prepared in under 5 minutes and can be spread on pizza or bread, tossed in pasta or even as a dip.
Course Basics
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 - 8 servings

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 3 cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed (see note 1)
  • ¼ cup olive oil (see note 2)
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • optional ingredients (see note 3)

Instructions

  • Wash and remove stems off basil leaves
  • Combine basil, salt and olive oil in a food processor or blender (see note 4)
  • Pulse until everything is blended together and relatively creamy.

Storage

  • Refrigerator: Store pesto in a jar or sealable container, tightly seal, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  • Freezing: Freeze the pesto for up to 2 months. You can freeze it in ice cube trays and thaw portions you require at a time. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
  • You can also add the frozen pesto directly to hot pasta or other dishes and let it thaw and warm up in the pan.

Video

Notes

1.Basil leaves: Make sure you only use the basil leaves for the pesto, and not the stems. The stems are often tough and have bitter flavors.
 
2. Olive oil: Use a good quality olive oil as it can significantly affect the flavor of your pesto.
3. Optional ingredients :
  • Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds: These add amazing texture while still keeping your basil pesto free of nuts. Use roasted or as is, it still adds amazing flavor and texture. Plus it's budget friendly and can be found in most supermarkets, grocery or health stores.
 
  • Nutritional yeast: If you're looking for a dairy-free alternative to traditional pesto that typically contains parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast is an excellent option. This dehydrated yeast (no longer active) consists of a flaky yellow powder. It has a cheese-like, nutty, savory flavor, making it a great substitute for those who are lactose intolerant or follow a vegan diet. You can get nutritional yeast at your grocery, health store, or pharmacy. Its inexpensive and a little goes a very long way.
 
  • Alternately, any shredded (grated) dairy free cheese will work too.
 
  • Crushed garlic
 
  • Dried chilli flakes: Add just a pinch (or to taste) for a little bit of heat, texture and a pop of color.
 
4. See post above on how to make basil pesto without a blender or food processor.
 

How much of Basil pesto will this recipe make

  • This recipe is for a small batch of pesto.
  • You can easily double or triple all the ingredients for a larger batch if you like.
  • A serving size of pesto is usually around 2 tablespoons.
  • Using 2 -3 cups of basil leaves will make about ¼ to ½ cup of pesto. Yielding approximately 4 to 8 servings of basil pesto.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.1g | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @thegardeningfoodie or tag #thegardeningfoodie!