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So, the summer months have passed and you’re left with more basil from the garden than you know what to do with?! No? Me neither! I recently moved to a condo and had a hard enough time growing basil when I had an actual garden. What can I say? I don’t have a green thumb.
Nevertheless, that shouldn’t stop a single soul from making this Easy Basil Pesto. It’s dead-simple, requires only a handful of ingredients and can be stored in the freezer for the winter months ahead!
Basil Pesto tastes amazing on just about everything. Try tossing it with big handfuls of my Perfect Zoodles, spooning it over some Emergency Roast Chicken, or some Crispy Fried Eggs, or even using it as a salad dressing with some leafy greens! The possibilities are truly endless!
Unlike traditional basil pestos, this recipe is completely dairy-free, which makes it both Whole30 and Paleo compliant. You’d never guess though. It’s creamy, rich, luxurious, and packed with tons of fresh and vibrant flavours! It’s basically summer in a sauce!
If you want a mini arm workout, you can make this Basil Pesto the old-fashioned way by using a mortar and pestle. Or, you can cheat and blend everything with your immersion blender directly in a wide-mouth mason jar. Alternatively, you can use a food processor but I find that you lose quite a bit of the Basil Pesto in the process of transferring it to a storage jar.
The purists will undoubtedly kick and scream at the thought of blending basil (a big no-no in Italy), but I think it’s totally fine. Especially considering how tasty the finished product is.
I leave the choice up to you. You’re the boss, applesauce!
The Secret to the Best Basil Pesto?
For maximum flavour with minimal effort, you MUST toast the pine nuts before making the pesto. This is done by simply adding the pine nuts to a dry skillet and heating them over med-low heat for 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown and fragrant. Just be sure to keep an eye on them and move them regularly so that they don’t burn!
Easy Basil Pesto - Whole30, Paleo
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted until golden brown
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably cold-pressed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add raw pine nuts to a dry skillet and heat over low heat until golden brown (approx. 12-15min). Move regularly to avoid burning.
- Add pine nuts and remaining ingredients to a wide-mouth mason jar and pulse with immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper as required. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
- Go get a massage because you deserve it after all that hard work in the kitchen!
- Come back to enjoy your pesto with ALL THE THINGS.
Notes
About the Author
Hi, i'm Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
Will this pesto freeze well or should it be eaten fresh only?
Yes! It can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Finally found a healthy recipe for this sauce! Can you substitute cold pressed avocado oil instead of olive oil? Thanks!
It won’t have quite the same flavour profile but should still work.