This easy recipe for gluten free homemade walnut pesto is a simple way to use fresh basil. This sauce is made without pine nuts and makes a great pasta sauce! I tell you how to make this flavorful, healthy topping in my recipe.
I love pesto all the time, but homemade pesto is at a whole other level. It is so full of flavor and easy to make. I grew Italian basil, Genovese basil and Mammoth basil in my garden this year. The Italian basil and Genovese basil plants are very similar. The Mammoth basil is a lighter green plant with large crinkly leaves. The flavor of all three plants is amazing.
I store some of the basil I make in a jar in the refrigerator for use in the next two weeks. The rest of the basil I place 1-2 cups in freezer safe containers and freeze. You can also freeze the basil in ice cube trays to have a small quantity to add to your winter soups.
Can you substitute walnuts for pine nuts in pesto?
Yes! I like to use either walnuts for pine nuts in my pesto. You can substitute one for another in recipes. If I’m making a change to recipes I like to start with a smaller amount and then add more until I get the desired flavor. Pine nuts can have a richer flavor and may take less in a recipe.
How do you make pesto from scratch?
It’s so easy! I pick fresh basil from my garden, but you can also use basil that you’ve purchased. I remove the coarse stems and use the leaves in the pesto recipe. In a food processor I combine the ingredients and pulse until I get a nice creamy sauce.
At this point I taste the pesto to make sure there is enough salt and oil. If the leaves have less moisture you may need a bit more oil to get the right consistency. Also, depending on how salty your cheese is you may need a bit more salt.
How do you make pesto taste better?
If you aren’t getting the flavor you want from your pesto there are a few things you can do. If you want a creamier flavor and texture you can add more oil. If you would like the peso to be less bitter add a little more salt. If your sauce needs a little more flavor add some more parmesan cheese.
It only takes a little of each ingredient to make a big difference! Start with a little, pulse it into your sauce in the food processor and then taste test again before adding anything else.
If you like this recipe you might also enjoy:
Gluten Free Caramelized Onion Dip
Gluten Free Homemade Ranch Dip
Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles
Gluten Free Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing
Homemade Strawberry Banana Popsicles
I get my ingredients from Thrive Market. Thrive Market has been a game changer for me eating gluten free. They have so many options I can’t get at my rural grocery stores! Use this link to get 25% off your first order!
Gluten Free Homemade Walnut Pesto
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy recipe for gluten free homemade walnut pesto is a simple way to use fresh basil. This sauce is made without pine nuts and makes a great pasta sauce! I tell you how to make this flavorful, healthy topping in my recipe.
Ingredients
4 cups Basil Leaves, loosely packed
3 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Avocado Oil
1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Remove the basil leaves from the stems. Discard the stems.
In your food processor add all the ingredients. Pulse until a creamy sauce has formed.
Taste your sauce. Depending on the moisture level in the basil and the type of parmesan you are using you may need to add a bit more oil, salt or cheese.
If you add ingredients pulse the pesto until it’s combined.
Store the pesto in a jar in your refrigerator, place it in a freezer safe container and freeze or place in ice cube trays to freeze into small portions.
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Gluten Free
Keywords: gluten free, pesto, basil, sauce, pasta sauce, walnut,
marisolcooks says
this is a great recipe! love the flavor that walnuts gives to pesto
Jordan Elbaum | Prickly Fresh says
loving this flavor combo! I really enjoy the walnuts instead of traditional pine nuts!
smallfarmbiglife says
Thanks Jordan!
smallfarmbiglife says
Thanks Marisol!
Lisa Kitahara says
Oh this pesto looks so delicious and easy to make, cant wait to try!
smallfarmbiglife says
Thanks Lisa!!
Erin says
You’re so lucky to have a garden with basil in it! I so wish we did so I could make pesto more often. Those tiny little basil plants don’t go far! And I love that you used walnuts in here. Delicious!
smallfarmbiglife says
Even if you have a couple of pots on a patio or in a backyard you could grow basil. I grew mine from seed this year and it was surprisingly easy. They are pretty, lush green plants so they would look nice in a pot.
Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says
I love making pesto but haven’t tried it with walnuts yet, such a great idea!
Linda says
I love pesto! However, my husband is allergic to nuts of all kind. Can you recommend something to replace nuts in pesto?
smallfarmbiglife says
Hi Linda! Can your husband have seeds? You could use sesame seeds or pepitos to replace the walnuts nuts. You could make the pesto without nuts or seeds, but it will be thinner.