One of the hardest adjustments when adjusting to our grain-free lifestyle was finding substitutes for classic Italian foods. Ingredients like pasta, mozzarella cheese and gnocchi are harder when you are gluten free and without milk.
While we've since incorporated some dairy and grains into our meals, I've found that I still love the healthy alternative recipes I've created over the years. This easy fresh basil pesto recipe is one of them. The fresh pesto sauce with garlic cloves and fresh basil has nothing on the store bought versions!
Best made-from-scratch peso recipe
While store-bought pesto isn't terrible, it's hard to find one without unhealthy vegetable oils. Thankfully, basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow. I don't have much of a green thumb, but even I can't kill it. In fact, one summer we 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 to use throughout the year! This was much easier since the pesto was ready to go whenever I needed it.
Best of all, basil has a whole list of uses like a natural medicine in tonics, teas and more. I tied any unused basil by the stems into bunches and hung them upside down to dry for future use. (Placing the basil in a paper bag is recommended to catch any leaves that crumble.)
Pesto recipe ingredients
Most pesto recipes rely on parmesan or pecorino romano cheese for a creamy tang. Although this version is dairy free (but still full of flavor!). Pesto is basically a puree of fresh basil, walnuts, olive oil and garlic. It has a beautiful green color and has a very pleasant taste.
Many versions call for toasted pine nuts, but I use almonds instead. You can also try walnuts, pistachios, cashews or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
How to use Pesto
There are so many different ways to use this delicious sauce! It tastes good with almost any Italian dish or pasta. I've also added a dollop of it to omelets, coconut flour cookies (with delicious filling), and grain-free bread. Here are some more ideas on how to use your pesto:
Storing Homemade Pesto
I mentioned earlier that I like to make this in big batches to save for later. If you don't have that much basil on hand then it also works well in the fridge and can be stored 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. Then just pop them out and store the cubes in a freezer safe container. This way you can melt as many cubes as you need at the same time.
Recipe for basil pesto
Fresh basil, garlic and olive oil… what could be better?
- 2 CUPS fresh basil (packaged)
- ½ CUP raw almonds
- 2 carnation garlic
- ¼-1/2 CUP olive oil (to desired consistency)
- salt (to taste)
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Put the basil, almonds and garlic in a blender.
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Turn on the blender and slowly add the oil until the pesto reaches the desired consistency.
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Add salt to taste.
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Use immediately or store in the fridge or freezer.
Nutrition facts
Recipe for basil pesto
Amount Per Serving (2 TBSP)
Calories 114
Calories from fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11 g17%
Saturated fat 1 g6%
Unsaturated fat 2 g
Monounsaturated fat 8 g
Sodium 1 mg0%
potassium 86 mg2%
Carbohydrates 2 g1%
Fiber 2 g8%
Protein 2 g4%
Vitamin A 316 IU6%
Vitamin C 1 mg1%
Calcium 36 mg4%
Iron 0.6 mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
To freeze the pesto, I like to put a few tablespoons into each compartment of an ice cube tray. When they are frozen, I put them in a larger container with a lid and store them in the refrigerator.
Other Homemade Spice Recipes:
How do you like basil pesto? Share below!
