Homemade Basil Pesto

If you are wondering what to do with leftover basil, or you want to make a basil pesto recipe without pine nuts, then you’ll LOVE this tangy, flavorsome Homemade Basil Pesto! It’s a pine nut-free pesto that also happens to be paleo and vegan, too! Drizzle it on pasta, vegetables, or a sandwich! The options are endless! {Vegan + Paleo}

Spiriteds, are you ready to create a Homemade Basil Pesto that also happens to be vegan AND paleo? And then also happens to be delicious and amazing and the perfect add-on to so many recipes but also tastes great by itself? How are you feeling right now about ebullience and run-on sentences? I, for one, will show up for all three; the recipe, the ebullience, AND the run-on sentences. If this recipe causes ebullience and run-on sentences, then SO BE IT. Just don’t tell my composition teachers. Unless they 0like pesto, too. In which case, I think they’ll understand. 

This Homemade Basil Pesto is stuff of which culinary dreams are made. It’s pine nut-free and dairy-free, using cashews in its place. And it’s so absolutely versatile you can use it in countless recipes (I’ve included a smattering of options below). 

It’s tangy and piquant and just the right amount of crunch. But in addition to being big on flavor and just right on consistency, there are several ways to prepare your pesto so you get the right amount of each for however you want to enjoy it. Just like I’ve included extra recipes to match with your pesto, I’ve also included notes below to customize this dreamy recipe to your liking.

Omigosh, Spiriteds, grab some fresh basil and cashews, your high speed blender, and some olive oil, and then let’s do this! Homemade Basil Pesto is just waiting to be made!

Homemade Basil Pesto is

• Paleo and vegan
• Pine nut-free
• Dairy-free
• Quickly made in the blender
• Doesn’t require soaked cashews
• Easy to store in the refrigerator
• Delicious with other recipes

Like, this pesto is just the best. It’s the chef’s kiss, really. (But don’t tell my comp teachers I used like like that in a sentence, unless they like pesto, inc which case, you know the drill…)

Ingredients to make Homemade Basil Pesto

Fresh basil and cashews are a dynamic due in this Homemade Basil Pesto recipe. And you control the intensity of the flavor by how much of each ingredient you add.

• Fresh basil. I chop the basil leaves, even slightly, so they blend more easily during the process and are less likely to clog the blades.
• Olive oil and water. At first I wondered how well the water and oil would emulsify. It turns out they work well together!
• Lemon juice and garlic cloves. If there are ingredients that are meant to complement fresh basil leaves, it has to be these two. Add more or less as desired for a strong or mild flavor.
• Cashews. I have used roasted, lightly salted, and raw before, and all have worked just fine. Nothing fancy, no complicated added ingredients. Whatever you can get your hands on will likely work in this simple pesto recipe.
• Sea salt. I use about 1/4 teaspoon in this recipe to add just the right zing to the pesto. This may vary depending on whether you use cashews that are already salted.

Side note: For a stronger flavor, add more basil leaves. If you need a thicker, bulkier pesto, then add more cashews. More cashews will neutralize the flavor, so plan to throw a few extra basil leaves in for good measure. You can also add an extra splash of lemon juice or an extra pinch of sea salt. Play around with this recipe because there are lots of delicious ways to prepare it!

How to make Homemade Basil Pesto

It’s helpful to have a high-speed blender for this Homemade Basil Pesto recipe. And I typically just throw everything together for easy blending. Flavor over fancy!

1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender in the order listed and then blend on a LOW setting until the ingredients are roughly mixed. For a thicker, bulkier pesto, blend on a LOW to MEDIUM speed for a short period. For a smoother, creamier pesto, blend on a HIGH speed until the ingredients are completely emulsified.
2. Refrigerate the pesto in a glass jar for about 2-3 days. Enjoy it with vegetables, mixed in with pasta, or layered on a sandwich. This pesto will thicken as it stands.

Recipe best practices

• Strong favor: more basil, lemon juice, and/or garlic cloves
• Chunky consistency:  low pulse setting for a short amount of time, an extra handful of cashews
• Thin consistency: more olive oil (plan to add an extra splash of lemon juice and/or an extra garlic clove to keep the flavor from becoming too mild)

Side note: When I prep this pesto, I set the blender speed to the lowest possible setting that still emulsifies the ingredients. The actual setting you need will vary depending on the type of blender you have and your desired pesto consistency.

More ways to enjoy this pesto!

Once you’ve made Homemade Basil Pesto, then it’s time to add it to all kinds of recipes! Below are delicious options to get you started!

• Shrimp Pesto Sauté
• Pesto Baked Chicken
• Mediterranean Collard Wraps
• Deli Sandwich Lettuce Wraps

Spiriteds, stay wild and stay well. I’m glad you’re here! 🩷

Print

This recipe is inspired by a recipe I found in Dr. Amy Myer’s incredible book, The Autoimmune Solution! I changed the amount of liquids used, along with different nuts and flavorings.