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Almond Pesto Sauce Recipe

Name: Almond Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups basil (fresh); 3/4 cup almonds (raw and unsalted); 3 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon); 1/2 cup parmesan cheese; 1/8 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes; 1/3 cup water; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

ByKelly Jensen Posted onAugust 2, 2022April 8, 2024 Updated onApril 8, 2024

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This almond pesto sauce is made with fresh basil, almonds, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. This 5 minute sauce is great with pasta or garlic bread.

I love pesto on pretty much everything, and this easy pesto with almonds is quick to make in 5 minutes. A big batch of this flavorful, creamy sauce sure goes a long way. I mix it in with pasta and add a scoop to my risotto or toast for a fresh burst of herbs and spices.

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Table of Contents

As an Italian, I love enjoying delicious herby garlicy sauces with my pasta – and I also love trying out new things. Traditional pesto is made with pine nuts, but honestly, they are expensive, can be difficult to find, and I never use them enough to justify buying a big bag. I substituted almonds instead of pine nuts in my pesto, and it turned out fantastic!

This almond pesto has a great texture and flavor combination. The fresh basil and garlic brightens the whole dish. The olive oil gives the pesto a silky texture, the nuts add some bite. And the lemon juice and red pepper flakes give this pesto a kick!

This Almond Pesto Recipe Is:

Bright
Fresh
Herby
Loaded with Flavor
Versatile
Ready in 5 minutes
Requires no cooking!
Vegetarian

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What’s In This Pesto with Almonds Recipe?

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Almonds: almonds are great – use raw and unsalted so they are perfect to add to breakfasts, oats, or make your own almond milk!
Garlic
Basil
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemons if you have it, or this bottled/powdered lemon that you can keep in your pantry if you don’t have fresh lemons. This lemon is great for dressings, dips, and even cocktails.
Red Chili Pepper Flakes: for a little heat! if you don’t like spice, you can absolutely skip them in this recipe.

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How Do I Make Pesto without Pine Nuts?

Toast your almonds -In a large pan, toast the almonds for about 5 minutes over low to medium heat until they warm and begin brown around the edges. Turn off heat and transfer nuts to a bowl to cool.
In the food processor combine fresh basil, toasted almonds, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and water. Pulse on high, and stream in the olive oil while the pesto is mixing.
Do a little taste test, and if the pesto needs a smoother consistency, then pulse again and slowly add in 1 tablespoon of additional water at a time until the pesto reaches your preferred consistency.
Transfer the pesto to a dish and garlic with extra basil if desired. Toss with fresh cooked pasta, spread on garlic bread, or enjoy with a burrata salad.

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Use Almond Pesto In These Delicious Recipes

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi Recipe
Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
Pesto Marinated Mozzarella Balls Recipe
Creamy Pesto Soup with Zucchini and Potatoes Recipe
Pesto Ricotta Pasta Recipe

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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

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Kelly Jensen

Kelly Jensen has 7 years experience as a food blogger, freelance recipe developer, content creator, beekeeper, and loves cooking everything she can from scratch.