This easy Dairy-Free Pesto recipe will become one of your favorite sauces to whip up! With fresh basil, garlic, and a touch of lemon, this dairy-free twist is just as creamy and delicious as classic pesto but without any cheese. Toss it over pasta, drizzle it on roasted veggies, or use it as a dip – this versatile pesto comes together in just minutes!
While you can certainly find store-bought pesto, it hardly compares to making it yourself. I grow basil during the warmer months, and typically have more than I know what to do with, so making homemade pesto is a no-brainer!
If you're dairy-free, you know finding replacements for cheesy favorites can be a challenge. But never fear, this dairy-free pesto is here! You can forget the parmesan cheese — this vegan pesto sauce is bursting with so much flavor, that you won't even miss the dairy.
For other dips and spreads, check out my Cottage Cheese Queso, Whipped Feta, Arabic Hummus, or Turkish Labneh recipes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: With just a handful of simple ingredients and minimal preparation, you can whip up a batch in no time, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Versatile: Add it to pasta, spread it on a sandwich, or use it in salad dressings — the options are endless!
- Allergy-Friendly: Perfect for those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergies, this recipe offers a creamy and delicious alternative to traditional pesto without sacrificing taste.
Ingredients
- Basil: If you have fresh basil plants in your garden, that will be ideal. If not, fresh basil leaves are readily available at most local grocery stores or at your farmer's market.
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts bring a lot of richness to this sauce! It’s helpful to store them in the refrigerator or freezer so they don't go rancid. I highly recommend toasting them beforehand to bring out more of their classic nutty flavor. While this step is not necessary, it's highly recommended.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves rather than the stuff you find in the jar or tube.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is the time to break out the "good olive oil". Every kitchen should have everyday cooking olive oil, then the good stuff that you use when making fresh recipes.
- Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional Yeast is a great option when you want to add a cheesy flavor while avoiding dairy.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice is best—avoid the stuff in the bottle!
- Sea Salt: Avoid table salt, use a high-quality pink Himalayan sea salt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions And Variations
- Herbs: Experiment with different fresh herbs such as cilantro, parsley, or baby spinach to create your own unique twist.
- Nuts: Swap pine nuts for almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or even sunflower seeds for a different texture and flavor profile.
- Oil: While olive oil will yield the best flavor, you can use avocado oil in a pinch.
How To Make Dairy Free Pesto
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Step 2. Place the fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. Blend on high speed until a paste forms.
Step 3. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. If you need to thin it out more, add a little extra olive oil. You can adjust the salt and lemon juice to your liking throughout this part of the process.
Expert Tips And Notes
- Use High-Quality Basil: Basil is the main ingredient in this recipe, so you need to use super fresh, organic, high-quality basil. The basil should have a strong fresh smell and have bright green leaves.
- Avoid Over Blending: You want to blend just until everything is combined and smooth. Over-blending can make the pesto slightly bitter.
What To Serve With Pesto
- Pasta: Mix up your pasta sauce by tossing this delicious pesto with your favorite pasta.
- Pizza and Sandwiches: Spread on pizza, toasted baguette slices, or use as a sandwich spread.
- Grilled Vegetables: Drizzle over grilled vegetables such as smoked asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers for a burst of flavor.
- Roasted Potatoes: Mix with roasted potatoes for a delicious side dish that's both hearty and full of fresh flavor.
- Salad Dressing: Use as a dressing for salads, either drizzled over greens or mixed into a pasta salad for added depth of flavor.
- Soups: Stir into soups, stews, or Dutch Oven Chili for a flavorful twist.
- Eggs: One of my favorite things is drizzling it on top of scrambled eggs as it's a great way to add some extra flavor.
Storage And Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: To freeze pour the pesto into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, transfer cubes to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: When you are ready to use the frozen pesto, place it in a saucepan with a little bit of water or olive oil and heat on low until it has thawed.
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Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! If you have nut allergies or prefer to omit them, you can substitute with seeds such as pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
Fresh pesto will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
To keep it green, store it with a layer of olive oil on top in an airtight container. This prevents it from oxidizing and turning brown.
Yes! You can use a high-speed blender. Be sure to scrape down the sides to make sure everything gets combined.
Other Related Dips And Sauce Recipes
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Simple Dairy-Free Pesto Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 3 cups Basil
- ⅓ cup Pine Nuts toasted
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- 2-4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until slightly toasted.
- Place basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoon lemon juice and sea salt all into a food processor and blend on high speed until a paste forms.
- Taste and adjust flavors as needed. If you need to thin it out more, simply add a bit more olive oil. You can adjust the salt and lemon juice to your liking throughout this part of the process.
Notes
- Use High-Quality Basil: Basil is the main ingredient in this recipe, so you need to use super fresh, organic, high-quality basil. The basil should have a strong fresh smell and have bright green leaves.
- Avoid Over Blending: You want to blend just until everything is combined and smooth. Over-blending can make the pesto slightly bitter.
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