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Almond Pesto Sauce Recipe (Vegetarian)

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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.

pesto sauce with almonds for pesto without pine nuts or pignoles make a pasta sauce with almonds no cook pesto recipes italian almond recipes

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
pesto with almonds recipe almond sauce for pasta garlic bread italian almond recipes

What’s In This Pesto with Almonds Recipe?

See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

  • Almonds: these giant bags of almonds are a great value – they are raw and unsalted so they are perfect to add to breakfasts, oats, or make your own almond milk! 
  • Garlic
  • Basil
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s inexpensive & I like to keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry.  For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value.
  • Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemons if you have it, or this really great 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.

What’s the Best Food Processor for Pesto?

We have this fantastic food processor that has lasted us years and years, and I have to say I’ve been very happy with it! It gets weekly use, and is great for chopping ingredients for sauces, making hummus, and pureeing vegetables.  It’s really basic and gets the job done!  While you can make this pesto in a blender, I prefer the texture of the food processor to get the herbs just right.

almond pesto sauce recipe without pine nuts healthy homemade pesto with raw unsalted almonds toasted in a pan on the stove top

How Do I Make Pesto without Pine Nuts?

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.  
  4. 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.

Inexpensive and Affordable Sauce Recipes For Everyone

I love how inexpensive pesto can be to make! This recipe uses a lot of ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards – most of which you probably have on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious and tasty meals using a few staples you can rotate.  

I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients in my Amazon shop here.  By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!

can i use almonds for pesto what are substitutes for pine nuts in pesto

Use This Almond Pesto In These Delicious Recipes:

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi Recipe (Vegetarian)

Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (Vegetarian)

Pesto Marinated Mozzarella Balls Recipe 

Creamy Pesto Soup with Zucchini and Potatoes Recipe 

Pesto Ricotta Pasta Recipe

Share This Basil Almond Pesto Recipe

As always, if you make this almond pesto be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you.  I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get fresh recipes weekly. And don’t forget to follow over on Pinterest, Instagram , & Twitter– I’d love to connect with you there! 

pesto sauce with almonds for pesto without pine nuts or pignoles make a pasta sauce with almonds no cook pesto recipes italian almond recipes

Almond Pesto

Kelly Jensen
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.  A big batch of this tasty, 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.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dressing, Sauce
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 227 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor

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 olive oil

Instructions
 

  • 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, red pepper flakes, 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.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 227kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 380IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 105mgIron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

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Posted in 30 Minute Dinners, American, Breads, Dinners, Italian, No Cook Recipes, Sauces, The Herbeevore Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

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