Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
This is a nut free pesto that is bright and fresh and can be used with a variety of dishes.
Pesto has always been one of my favorites sauces, dips, etc. It’s delicious on a flatbread, in a pasta or used as an Italian inspired dip. There are so many ways to make pesto, whether you swap out the basil for kale or the sunflower seeds for walnuts. You really can’t go wrong. I’ve kept this recipe classic with basil and used sunflower seeds to make it nut free and fructose free. A little lemon brightens up the flavor and parmesan gives it a little nutty-ness. I absolutely love this versatile green sauce.
What to serve it with:
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Crispy Italian Bow Ties
- Flatbread Pizza
- Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
What you need:
- Food Processor
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Basil
- Grated Parmesan
- Sunflower Seeds
- 1/2 Lemon
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Black Pepper
The Pesto
This recipe will come together with just a few steps. The first thing that you’ll want to do is get your sunflower seeds toasted. Place a sautė pan on low-medium heat and add the sunflower seeds. Keep a close eye on the seeds, as you don’t want them to burn. It will take a few minutes, but keep the seeds moving and take them off the heat when they have turned golden. Let them cool to room temperature.
Wash and dry the basil (if it isn’t pre-washed). Add it to a food processor, along with the juice from a lemon and room temperature sunflower seeds. Blend the ingredients until they have combined and chopped finely. Next, add the grated parmesan cheese to food processor and blend again until it is fully mixed.
The last step is to slowly stream in the olive oil while the blender is on low. Once the mixture is just about to the consistency that you like, add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Please note that you can also add a little water to help thin out the pesto if you have added all of the olive oil and it isn’t the texture you were looking for.
Side Note: If you are not using the pesto immediately, store it in an airtight container for up to a week. You may also want to add a dash of olive oil before using it to freshen it up.
Basil and Sunflower Seed Pesto
Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
Yields: 1 cup
Prep: 5 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes
2 cups Fresh Basil, packed firmly
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Lemon, juiced
½ cup Parmesan, grated
⅓ cup Sunflower Seeds
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
- Add the sunflower seeds to a sauté pan on medium-low heat. Continuously shake/stir the seeds while they toast. Keep an eye on these, you don’t want to burn them. It should take about 2-4 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they begin to brown and become fragrant.
- Add the basil, sunflower seeds (cooled to room temp) and lemon juice to a food processor. Blend until basil and seeds are chopped finely.
- Add the parmesan cheese and process again until combined.
- Put the processor on low and steam in the olive oil until the desired consistency. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Side Note: If you have used all of the olive oil and still want a thinner consistency, I recommend adding a tablespoon or two of water.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. You may need to add a dash of olive oil to freshen it up as you use it.