Dairy-Free Homemade Pesto
No Parmesan? No problem. This Easy Dairy-Free Homemade Pesto is fresh, flavorful, and so simple to make, and it's just as delicious as the classic pesto. Made with fresh spinach, fragrant basil leaves, nuts, garlic, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon, it comes together in just a few minutes. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it a great option for anyone looking for a delicious pesto without the dairy. I love having homemade pesto on hand because there are so many ways to use it! Toss it with your favorite gluten-free pasta, spread it on sandwiches, drizzle it over roasted vegetables, or use it as a sauce for chicken. Plus, you can make it with cashews or your favorite nuts, and if dairy isn't an issue, a little Parmesan cheese is a delicious addition, too!
Equipment
- 4 oz mason jars (storage)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups spinach
- 1 cup basil leaves fresh, not dried
- 1/2 cup cashew nuts, raw and unsalted (or pine nuts, walnuts, or other nuts of choice, unsalted)
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped (or minced garlic works)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup avocado oil (or use extra-virgin olive oil)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Optional:
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I typically leave out for dairy-free or use nutritional yeast)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, except oil, into your food processor or blender. Pulse until the spinach and basil are broken down.
- With the machine running, pour in the oil slowly: use about 1/3 cup if you like a thicker pesto or 1/2 cup if you like a runnier pesto. Once the pesto is your perfect consistency, stop and taste it. Add additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice until it's the perfect taste for you. Enjoy!
Notes
Nut-Free: use sunflower seeds.
Dairy-free: omit cheese or use dairy free cheese. We typically just leave the cheese out and it still tastes amazing.
Ways to Use: Serve over pasta, on sourdough with roasted veggies & mozzarella, use as pizza topping, dollop on proteins or scrambled eggs, omelets, and potatoes!
Make Ahead & Freeze: I like to double or triple the recipe and have extra on hand in the freezer. I like to pour the pesto in a mason jar, cover the top of the pesto with a thin layer of avocado oil, and secure the lid. Freeze for up to 6 months. To use, just thaw pesto in fridge or hot water.
Storage: Store pesto in a sealed mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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