One of the most difficult adjustments in adapting to our grain-free lifestyle was finding replacements for classic Italian foods. Ingredients like pasta, mozzarella cheese and gnocchi are more difficult if you are gluten-free and dairy-free.
Although we’ve since incorporated some dairy and grains back into our meals, I’ve found that I still love the healthy alternative recipes I’ve created over the years. This easy pesto recipe with fresh basil is one of them. Fresh pesto sauce with garlic cloves and fresh basil has nothing on store-bought versions!
Best Pesto Recipe from Scratch
While store-bought pesto isn’t terrible, it’s hard to find one without unhealthy vegetable oils. Fortunately, basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow. I don’t really have green fingers, but even I can’t get enough of it. One summer we even had three-foot tall basil plants taking over the garden.
I made big batches of this pesto when the basil was ready to harvest and froze it so I could use it all year round! This was much easier because the pesto was ready to use whenever I needed it.
Best of all, basil has a long list of uses as a natural remedy in tonics, teas and more. I tie unused basil in bunches near the stems and hang them upside down to dry for future use. (It is recommended to place the basil in a paper bag to catch any crumbling leaves.)
Pesto recipe ingredients
Most pesto recipes rely on Parmesan cheese or pecorino romano for a creamy flavor. However, this version is dairy-free (but still full of flavor!). Pesto is essentially a puree of fresh basil, nuts, olive oil and garlic. It has a beautiful green color and packs quite a flavor punch.
Many versions call for toasted pine nuts, but I use almonds instead. You can also try pecans, pistachios, cashews, or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
Use pesto
There are plenty of different ways to use this delicious sauce! It tastes good with almost any Italian dish or pasta dish. I’ve even added a dollop of it to omelets, coconut flour cookies (with savory filling), and grain-free breads. Here are a few more ideas for using pesto:
Storing Homemade Pesto
I mentioned earlier that I like to make this in bulk to save for later. If you don’t have that much basil on hand, it will do well in the refrigerator and will keep for up to 2 weeks.
For an easy one-serving version, I also like to pour the pesto into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then just take them out and store the cubes in a freezer container. This way you can defrost as many cubes as you need at the same time.
Basil pesto recipe
Fresh basil, garlic and olive oil… what could be better?
- 2 cups fresh basil (Packed)
- ½ cup Mourning almonds
- 2 clove garlic
- ¼-1/2 cup olive oil (to desired consistency)
- salty (samples)
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Place basil, almonds and garlic in a blender.
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Turn on the blender and slowly add the oil until the pesto has the desired consistency.
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Add salt to taste.
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Use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Nutrition facts
Basil pesto recipe
Amount per serving (2 tbsp)
Calories 114
Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated fat 2 g
Monounsaturated fat 8 g
Sodium 1 mg0%
Potassium 86mg2%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 2g8%
Egg white 2g4%
Vitamin A 316IU6%
Vitamin C 1 mg1%
Calcium 36mg4%
Iron 0.6mg3%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
To freeze pesto, I like to put a few tablespoons in each compartment of an ice cube tray. Once they are frozen, I throw them in a larger container with a lid and store them in the freezer.
Other Homemade Herb Recipes:
What do you think of basil pesto? Share below!