Nut Free Pesto
This Nut Free Pesto is the perfect substitute for those with nut allergies. It’s bright and fresh, and can be made in just a few minutes. Sunflower seeds are used in place of pine nuts, and you’ll never know the difference!
WHY THIS NUT FREE PESTO RECIPE IS SO GOOD
- Nut free pesto is a tried and true, no-cook sauce that is amazing on just about everything! I love a fresh nut free pesto tossed with hot pasta, or drizzling it over some fresh sliced tomatoes.
- Herby, fresh, green basil is the star of this nut free pesto show, and is accented with garlic, olive oil, and our allergy friendly ingredient, sunflower seeds. You can substitute sunflower seeds for pepitas if you prefer.
- Sunflower seeds are a great substitute for nuts in many different recipes, and in nut free pesto they are absolutely perfect. I’m a huge fan of sunflower seeds in SunButter, and use it for sandwiches and desserts.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING NUT FREE PESTO
- Fresh garlic works best for flavor, but dehydrated or jarred minced garlic will work too.
- If you don’t love the flavor of basil, you can use fresh spinach leaves instead, but the flavor will be much more mild.
- Use more or less to get the consistency the way you want it. Use the best extra virgin olive oil you have for this recipe. It makes a difference.
- For added flavor, roast your sunflower seeds before adding it to the mix. The toasty flavors adds a bit of depth to the pesto.
- I prefer the power of a food processor for pesto making, but a good, high powered blender like a Vitamix or a Ninja will do the trick too. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a knife to cut up the seeds and basil before putting into the blender so it’s easier to blend.
MORE QUICK AND EASY RECIPES
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Nut Free Pesto
This Nut Free Pesto is the perfect substitute for those with nut allergies. It's bright and fresh, and can be made in just a few minutes. Sunflower seeds are used in place of pine nuts, and you'll never know the difference!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 cup Fresh Basil tightly packed
- ¼ cup Olive Oil or more as needed
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup Sunflower Seeds
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the minced garlic and a cup of tightly packed fresh basil leaves into a food processor.
- Add in oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Then add sunflower seeds and parmesan cheese to the mixture in the food processor. Pulse until well combined, but not completely smooth.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, then adjust to desired consistency by adding more oil.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh spinach instead of the basil. If you use spinach it needs to be fresh and not frozen.
- You can omit the sunflower seeds or substitute with pepitas.
- If you add in too much oil and your pesto is too thin, you can thicken by adding more fresh basil or fresh spinach.
