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This lemony, easy Nut Free Pesto Recipe makes the perfect pesto pasta sauce, spread for toast or pesto pizza, or even dipping sauce for chips, roasted veggies, and more. Ready in minutes using simple, fresh ingredients and, most importantly, nut-free!
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Lemon Pesto
I'm a big fan of pesto. You will find me making everything from pesto pasta to pesto pizza, or even using it as a dip for roasted spicy peppers - a favorite treat of mine!
Luckily, it's easier than most people think to make homemade pesto. You need just a small handful of ingredients, and it takes only a few minutes to make.
Normally, pesto uses nuts, as in my classic basil pesto recipe. But, this lemon pesto recipe is completely nut-free, so even those with a nut allergy can enjoy it! You can even replace the Parmesan cheese with vegan Parm for a quick vegan pesto.
This simple nut free pesto recipe is a quick and easy way to make any plain pasta, chicken dinner, or chips-and-dip night extra special.
Ingredients for Pesto without Nuts
- parsley, stems removed
- fresh lemon juice
- minced garlic
- Parmesan
- pepper
- salt
- olive oil
How to Make Pesto without Pine Nuts
- Add parsley, lemon juice, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt to a food processor.
- Blend until the texture is smooth to your liking, and serve!
Nut Free Pesto Recipe Tips
- Adjust the flavors: Adjust salt and pepper levels to your taste. You can add more after blending, if desired.
- Make it vegan-friendly: You can replace the Parmesan with a vegan Parmesan alternative.
- Try using basil: Parsley and lemon make a spectacular mix in this lemon pesto recipe. It has a less sweet flavor than basil, which makes it perfect for a variety of dishes. However, you can also use basil, if you prefer or want to mix things up!
- Add sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds: Seeds add a similar texture as pine nuts to pesto, so you can enjoy the same texture as pesto with nuts - without the nuts! - by adding them. Try it out sometime!
Storing Leftover Pesto
Leftover lemon pesto stores well in an air-tight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze it in an airtight container with at least half an inch of space at the top for up to 1 year, or in freezer-safe bags for up to 6 months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator when ready to use, or for quick use, run a frozen bag of pesto under cold water until thawed through.
Pesto with no Nuts FAQ
Rather than using nuts in pesto, you can simply leave them out. Pine nuts add some flavor and texture to pesto, but they aren't necessary for the recipe to be successful. If you want a similar texture to pesto with nuts, try adding sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Sesame seeds also work as a substitute to pine nuts in pesto. To keep this pesto nut-free but with a similar nutty texture, if you don't have any sunflower or pumpkin seeds on hand, you can try adding roasted sesame seeds to the blend. All three options work well.
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Nut Free Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bunches parsley stems removed
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ Tablespoon pepper more to taste
- ¼ Tablespoon salt more to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add parsley, lemon juice, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt to a food processor.4 bunches parsley, 1 lemon, 2 cloves garlic, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ Tablespoon pepper, ¼ Tablespoon salt, ¼ cup olive oil
- Blend until the texture is smooth to your liking, and serve!
Notes
- Adjust the flavors: Adjust salt and pepper levels to your taste. You can add more after blending, if desired.
- Make it vegan-friendly: You can replace the Parmesan with a vegan Parmesan alternative.
- Try using basil: Parsley and lemon make a spectacular mix in this lemon pesto recipe. It has a less sweet flavor than basil, which makes it perfect for a variety of dishes. However, you can also use basil, if you prefer or want to mix things up!
- Add sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds: Seeds add a similar texture as pine nuts to pesto, so you can enjoy the same texture as pesto with nuts - without the nuts! - by adding them. Try it out sometime!
Nutrition
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