Almond Pesto
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This easy Almond Pesto is a nice way to change it up from traditional pesto. It uses just 5 ingredients, is ready in 5 minutes and pairs perfectly with pasta, meatballs or vegetables!
Recipe features
- A good way to switch it up from traditional pesto with pine nuts
- The flavor is slightly different (dare I say better?!) than traditional pesto
- It can easily be served in place of kale pesto or arugula pesto
Ingredient notes:
Almonds – Always use raw almonds, not roasted and/or salted.
Spinach – Can sub kale if you prefer
Olive oil – I always use extra virgin olive oil. You can sub avocado oil, though it won’t have as much flavor.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Add almonds, garlic, basil, and spinach to your food processor and pulse for 20 seconds.
Step 2: With the motor still running, pour the olive oil in through the top. At this point, everything should come together, but if it seems “stuck”, add water in 1 tbsp at a time. You don’t want to add too much water, but 1-3 tbsp should do the trick.
Tips and FAQs
- You may have to experiment between using your food processor, or using a small blender (like a NutriBullet). If you have a high-quality food processor, that should work, but if not, try a blender instead.
Doesn’t pesto normally include cheese?
It does! I omitted it to make this recipe dairy-free, but you can absolutely add shredded parmesan (or even vegan parmesan) if you want. If you’re going to add cheese, add two tablespoons to your food processor along with the other ingredients.
How long does almond pesto last?
If stored in the refrigerator, it should last 5-7 days. If you want it to last longer, simply place it in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. You can follow this guide to learn more about freezing pesto.
Serve this pesto with:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Almond Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- water as needed
Instructions
- Add almonds, garlic, spinach, basil, and salt to your food processor and pulse for 10 seconds.
- With the motor still running, pour the olive oil in through the top. If mixture gets stuck add 1-2 tbsp of water.
- Store pesto in a jar in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, or place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Why should I not use roasted almonds? Another recipe I found called for toasted, so I bought roasted(not salted) almonds to save time.
Hi! Roasted almonds are fine, as long as they aren’t salted.