Gluten Free Homemade Walnut Pesto

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

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• Author: Elaine VanVleck
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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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. 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

4 cups Basil Leaves, loosely packed
3 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
½ cup Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Avocado Oil
½ cup Walnuts, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp. Sea Salt
½ tsp. Ground Black Pepper

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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.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Sauce
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: Gluten Free

Keywords: gluten free, pesto, basil, sauce, pasta sauce, walnut,