There's so many reasons to love pesto. I am a huge pesto advocate. I love the robust flavor of the garlic and the oil paired with the delicious, earthy flavors of the basil leaves, and of course who can forget the nutty, creamy flavors of the added parmesan cheese. What's not to love about pesto? I use it in so many things, for so many reasons, so naturally I wanted to give it it's own space on the blog for all of you!

Nut Free Homemade Pesto

I'm not allergic to nuts, but there are some that are not as appealing to me, such as pine nuts, aka pignoli nuts. I don't prefer the flavor, so I've always made my pesto without them, making this a nut free option for my friends and readers who have a nut allergy. When I shared this recipe on social media a little while back, I got a lot of positive feedback regarding leaving the nuts out, and it makes me very happy to hear that!

Where did pesto originate?

Pesto hails from Genoa, which is why a lot of jarred pesto actually says Genoa Pesto. Pesto translates "to pound" in Italian, which is ultimately what you are doing with all of the ingredients. You "pound" or blend all of the ingredients together to form a thick, rich sauce. It typically involves a few ingredients such as crushed garlic, basil, pignoli nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. You can read more about the origins of pesto here.

How do I use pesto?

Pesto is typically used as a topping for pasta, but you can use pesto in so many dishes:

• Cold pasta salads
• Sandwiches
• Topping on fish
• Marinade
• Condiment
• Stews and soups

If you made pesto for one recipe, you'll be amazed at what else you can use it for.

Ingredients:

The best part about making my nut free homemade pesto is that it only takes four ingredients.

• Basil: The reason we're all here. Basil is the most popular green herb used in making pesto. Known for its earthy and fragrant leaves, basil is perfect for pesto.
• Garlic: We use garlic to add a robust flavor to the pesto. It's one of the most important parts of pesto!
• Oil: Using oil helps to bind all of the ingredients together and form the sauce or paste.
• Parmesan cheese: We use parmesan cheese (or pecorino) to round out the flavor and add a creaminess to the pesto.

Directions:

Making homemade pesto is easy! You only really need a good blender or food processor and some patience. It likely won't become smooth after the first blend, so adding a little more oil and cheese will help the pesto come to a smooth consistency.

1. In a food processor, add the basil leaves, chopped garlic, oil, and parmesan cheese.
2. Close tightly and blend until smooth.
3. Continue to add more cheese and/or oil to your desired consistency: smooth in texture with minimal to no clumps of garlic or basil leaves.

FAQs

What if I'm dairy free or I want to keep this recipe vegan?

This recipe is easily made vegan by swapping the parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast. The flavor may change just a little, but overall it'll do great as a swap.

I'm not a huge basil fan, what can I use instead?

Not into basil? Use arugula, spinach, or even kale! Any dark, leafy green will yield similar results. A fellow food blogger and friend of mine used broccoli rabe to make pesto. Now THAT is creative!

I made too much pesto! How do I store it?

No stress! Pesto freezes really well. You can store it in an ice cube tray for easy portions, or use a super small container and stash in the freezer. Take it out a few hours before use and you're good to go!

Hungry for More?

Don't miss these yummy recipes, which would go really well with a pesto sauce, too!

• Veggie Pasta Bake
• Cheesy Pesto Tortellini Bake
• Herb Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken