Nut Free Basil Pesto (Dairy Free)
This homemade nut-free basil pesto is so easy and quick to make! Bursting with fresh flavours it makes a great addition to pasta and is also dairy free. Plus, it's safe to bring to school for packed lunches since it doesn't contain any nuts!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 378kcal
Equipment
- Pestle & Mortar optional
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) fresh basil
- 30 g (1 oz) sunflower seeds
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 50 ml (1.6 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml (1 fl oz) fresh lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the basil and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Chop the garlic into small chunks and juice the lemon.
To Make In The Food Processor
- Put the basil leaves, sunflower seeds, chopped garlic & lemon juice into a food processor.
- Pulse until the sunflower seeds start to break down and come together. Add the olive oil slowly, a little bit at a time and pulse until the sunflower seeds have broken down and the mixture resembles a thick paste.
- Season with salt & pepper to your preference.
To Make In A Pestle & Mortar
- Prepare the ingredients as mentioned above.
- Crush the garlic cloves in the mortar with the pestle until they form a paste.
- Add torn basil leaves and sunflower seeds to the mortar. Grind and crush them into a coarse paste.
- Next, add the nutritional yeast and continue grinding to combine.
- Gradually pour in extra-virgin olive oil while stirring and grinding to create a creamy consistency.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity.
Notes
Tips & Tricks
- No lemon squeezer? No worries! Just hold one of the cut lemon halves over a small bowl and poke the flesh with a fork while giving it a gentle squeeze. The fork will help release the juice from the lemon into the bowl.
- Choose fresh and vibrant basil: Look for fresh basil leaves that are vibrant green in colour and not wilting or yellowing. The quality of the basil will greatly impact the flavour of your pesto.
- Adjust the oil quantity: The amount of olive oil needed may vary depending on how thick or thin consistency you like your pesto, that’s why I say to add it slowly to the food processor. Add more oil for a smoother and thinner pesto or reduce it slightly for a thicker and chunkier texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 1323IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg