Fresh Basil Pesto!
If you’re like me, one of the reasons you grow basil is so that you’ll have plenty of delicious pesto on hand. The traditional way of making this delightful sauce is with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. For those of us with an autoimmune issue, or if you are dairy-free, or nut-free, you may have thought that pesto was out of reach. But with these modified versions, you’ll still be getting that great pesto flavor while avoiding ingredients that are off limits to you.
Pesto is fabulous on just about anything. I use it on egg dishes, fish and chicken. I also use it as a substitute for tomato sauce on grain-free pizza and pasta. The possibilities are endless!
This recipe is the dairy-free version, but I have the substitutions and instructions listed in the notes if you’d like to make the nut-free version or even the traditional version. Enjoy!
If you’re looking for a good food processor, consider this one by Ninja. The motor base and one of the many attachments is pictured in the recipe. I have had mine for several years and love it!
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Basil Pesto (Dairy-Free, Nut-Free or Traditional)
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
- Colander to wash basil
- Spatula or spoon
- two, 4 oz jars or similar containers to store the pesto in
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil from your garden, tightly packed
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashew nuts, organic if possible (See substitution in notes below)
- 3 medium cloves of garlic, organic if possible
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, organic if possible fresh lemon juice is better if you have it
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the basil in cool water, drain, and remove the stems by pinching them off. I harvested enough basil to make a double batch!
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender. If using a bullet-type blender, allow the oil to work its way to the bottom of the container once inverted. This will help moisten the mixture and make it easier to blend.
- Blend the ingredients until smooth. Some like to blend just until the basil has a finely minced appearance. The choice is yours, depending on the texture you prefer.
- Pour the pesto into the jars. Use the spatula to scrape the sides of the container to get every last drop! It is natural for some of the oil to separate. Simply stir before using.
- Store the pesto in the refrigerator where it should last for several days or in the freezer. I store the pesto in 4 ounce jars because that's how much I'll use in a week or so. If you keep it in larger containers in the freezer you'll be committed to using the entire container once it's thawed.
- This recipe makes a total of 8 ounces.
I used natto, soybean paste about a 1/4 tsp it is very tangy for the nut ingredient. Great taste, texture, noodles are boiling. Thanks, Lauren
Great idea, Lauren! Thanks for sharing 🙂