A friend of ours gave us a whole bunch of fresh basil leaves and that means… we’re making pesto! This quick parmesan-free basil pesto is not only thriftier than store-bought; it’s thriftier than traditional homemade pesto recipes. It’s:
So Tasty
Ready In 10 Minutes
Cost Saving
And Will Boost Up Your Italian Pizza and Pasta Game!
Thrifty Vegan Basil Pesto
Basil pesto is most traditionally made with grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese and pine nuts. To take a look at an authentic version open up; An Italian In My Kitchen’s recipe.
BUT…
We very rarely buy pine nuts since they are much more costly than other nuts SO we’ve swapped the pricey pine nuts for tasty walnuts instead!
And as for the cheese…
I know it’s so hard to believe but trust me! I’m going to say it… this basil pesto doesn’t need it! I know, I know, everything is better with cheese right? Well… give this version a try. You will be saving some hard earned dollars and you will still have an incredibly tasty pesto to slather on your pizza or pasta!
This quick parmesan-free basil pesto costs us approximately: CAD $3.17 for 220ml.
Store-bought basil pesto is usually sold in 190-218ml jars and would cost us: CAD $3.99 – $5.99.
Using pine nuts would actually costs us: $3.11-$4.59 vs. the $0.42 walnuts cost. And…
Omitting ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese saves at least $2.00.
It’s Timely
Mhmm!
- Simply toss the ingredients in your food processor or blender… and blend them up!
- Or use a mortar and pestle if you want to be really authentic!
Depending on the size of your machine, you may have to stop a few times to scrape down the sides and encourage the pesto to blend evenly but the whole process will take 10 minutes or less!
Tasty Trick
I love using up every bit of an ingredient BUT to keep this pesto as smooth and tasty as possible…
Only use the basil leaves. Pick them from the stems and toss the stems in your veggie scrap bag because they will make your homemade veggie broth super tasty!
Using a good quality olive oil will add a lot of depth and flavour to the pesto but you can absolutely make a tasty pesto without the oil. Simply substitute the oil for all water. Check out my Vegan Pesto Pasta recipe for an oil-free pesto sauce with aquafaba!
And feel free to get creative! Try adding a couple of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for some extra flavour!
Give this quick parmesan-free basil pesto a try and let us know what you think! Save some dollars and make sure to send us your pictures of your pesto creations by using #tastythriftytimely on Instagram!
Try it on our tasty Pesto Pizza with “Feta” Crumble! Interested in an oil-free pesto recipe? Take a look at my Vegan Pesto Pasta for an oil-free pesto sauce!
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10 Minute Parmesan-Free Basil Pesto
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 220 ml 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This quick parmesan-free basil pesto is dairy-free & thriftier than store-bought! Get ready to make all your favourite Italian pesto dishes!
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves (reserve the stems for homemade veggie broth!)*
- ⅓ cup raw walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt & pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4–5 tablespoon water
- optional: sun-dried tomatoes
- optional: substitute sunflower seeds for walnuts
*Fresh ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Place the basil leaves, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in your food processor or blender. Pulse a few times to break down the walnuts and then blend until everything is combined.
- If you are able to slowly stream in the oil and water while your machine is running, you can add the liquid that way. Otherwise, stop and add in the oil. Then slowly add water as needed.
- Depending on the size of your machine, you may need to stop and scrape down the sides every so often to encourage even blending.
- Continue adding water or oil until your desired consistency is reached.
- Taste and add extra lemon juice, garlic, or salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
*Cost Comparison: CAD $3.17 for 220ml vs. $3.99 – $5.99 for jars of 190-218ml store-bought pesto. Using ½ cup shredded parmesan would add at least: $2.00 and pine nuts would cost us $3.11-$4.59 vs $0.42 for walnuts.
*Make this pesto nut free by using sunflower or pumpkin seeds in place of walnuts!
*For an oil free version simply omit the oil and use water only!
*Feel free to substitute half of the basil with spinach leaves, carrot tops, or parsley!
- Category: Sauces & Dips
- Method: Food Processor, Blender
- Cuisine: Italian
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