Description
This super easy basil pesto dressing is bright, creamy and vibrant with fresh basil, and comes together in just 10 minutes. Add it to pasta, grain bowls, salads, roasted veggies and watch your dish transform into a flavor-packed meal. Totally gluten-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 ounce dairy-free Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 3 pinches salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Black pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons water to thin, if necessary
Instructions
- Toast Pine Nuts: Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and aromatic. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Combine Ingredients in Blender: In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine half of the basil leaves, half of the olive oil, the toasted pine nuts, and the peeled and roughly chopped garlic cloves. Add the grated dairy-free Parmesan and a few pinches of salt to the mixture.
- Blend: Blend until you get a coarse mixture. Scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the remaining basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of black pepper if desired.
- Blend Until Creamy: Continue blending until you achieve a smooth, vibrant green pesto with a thick, pourable consistency.
- Storing: Store basil pesto dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add a thin layer of olive oil on top to preserve color. Freeze in ice cube trays for longer storage. Use pesto with pasta, in wraps or sandwiches, as a pizza base, or mixed into salad dressings.
Notes
Basil: I used sweet basil but you can also use Italian basil if that’s what you have. This aromatic herb is a key ingredient in traditional pesto, so make sure you don’t substitute the basil with other ingredients.
Pine Nuts: I used pine nuts, which are traditionally used in Genovese pesto. However, if you don’t have pine nuts on hand, feel free to use either cashews or almonds for the same crunchy effect. Toasting the pine nuts before blending them adds a deeper, nuttier flavor to the pesto dressing.
Garlic: In my opinion, fresh garlic is key in making pesto. The pungent flavor of raw garlic really adds flavor to this basil pesto dressing. If you prefer a less garlicky taste, you can reduce the amount of garlic to 1 clove.
Parmesan Cheese: I used dairy-free parmesan cheese to keep this recipe dairy-free. However, if you are not lactose-intolerant, feel free to use regular parmesan cheese instead.
Olive Oil: Since we are using such few ingredients here, make sure to use extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
Lemon Juice: For the best flavor, I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Black Pepper: A pinch of ground black pepper spices up the pesto dressing a bit. Feel free to add more or less depending on how much heat you can take.
Water: Depending on how thick or thin you prefer the dressing to be, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to thin out the pesto so it becomes more pourable.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Italian
