Easy Homemade Pesto without Pine Nuts

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This easy pesto without pine nuts recipe is incredibly delicious and budget-friendly, offering a variety of nut and seed alternatives.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Basil Pesto without pine nuts, Homemade walnut pesto, Pesto Sauce without Pine Nuts

Servings:

Calories: 386kcal

For extra flavor, lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Let them cool.
1/3 cup Walnuts
Add walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, basil, Parmesan, and salt to a food processor or blender.
2 cups Basil, Zest and juice from 1 large lemon, 1 clove Garlic, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
3 tbsp Olive Oil
Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or cheese as needed.
salt and pepper

Note: Nut-free version

You can even use roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds instead of pine seeds.

Pumpkin seeds, known as pepitas, are buttery seeds that mimic the texture of pine nuts used in traditional pesto.

Sunflower seeds offer a slightly earthier flavor and creamy consistency, making them another great budget-friendly alternative.