Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan
Made with fresh basil, lemon juice, cashews and walnuts, this easy, DIY pesto is herby, nutty, and bright! Plus, it's naturally gluten free, vegan and made with paleo and Whole30 compliant ingredients.
Why I Love This Recipe
Dairy Free Pesto is herby, bright, and salty with just the right amount of garlicky flavor. Cashews and walnuts replace traditional pine nuts in this recipe for a beautifully rustic texture and nutty flavor. This delectable Italian sauce comes together with extra virgin olive oil and can be used to liven pasta, vegetables, chicken, and seafood recipes.
In keeping with traditional pesto, this homemade paleo, Whole30 version is a little chunky, creating a scrumptious textural experience. Pieces of sweet, peppery basil, combine with citrusy lemon, buttery cashews, earthy walnuts, fresh garlic, and rich extra virgin olive oil in this easy, versatile recipe.
Toasting the walnuts
If you want extra depth of flavor in this Dairy Free Pesto, toast the walnuts at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. I've made this recipe both ways and it's delicious. However, when I have extra time I like to do this simple step.
Chunky vs smooth texture
Traditional pesto has a rustic, chunky texture. I manually pulse the food processor to avoid over chopping the ingredients. However, if you prefer a smoother texture, you'll want to allow the food processor more time to chop the ingredients smoothly.
Easily juicing citrus
This is my favorite citrus juicer. This product juices lemons and limes more quickly and with less mess compared to the kind that require you to twist and squeeze the lemon yourself! I actually avoided juicing my own citrus until I tried this product. You can also still avoid squeezing lemons by using a high quality, bottled pure lemon juice. Santa Cruz is my favorite brand.
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📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Pesto {Vegan, Paleo, Whole30, Gluten Free}
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 3 oz package fresh basil
- ¼ cup cashews
- ½ cup walnuts*
- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
- 1½ tablespoon pure lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add basil leaves to a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times to start to break down the basil.
- Add cashews, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse several times (5-6 times) to break into small pieces.
- Drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while pulsing, stop at your favorite consistency. I leave my with some bigger pieces, but you can blend until mostly smooth if you want.
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