This Balsamic Pesto Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Fresh
- Herby
- Sweet
- Garlicky
- Satisfying
- Vegan, Gluten Free, and Dairy Free
A No-Cook Blender Pesto Recipe That’s Perfect for Summer
This no-cook pesto salad dressing with balsamic vinegar is a quick and simple recipe. I love a good no-cook recipe for those days when I’m not feeling like standing around the stove, or for summer nights when it’s too hot to cook. I have a whole collection of recipes that require zero cooking at all, check them out here! This sauce comes together in about 5 minutes, and only requires a blender or food processor to make. Just use a few pantry staple ingredients and you have a healthy meal ready in no time. And very little to clean up afterwards… an added bonus!
What’s In This Pesto Vinaigrette Dressing?
I stock up on organic produce with Misfits Market – they have a fantastic selection of in-season fruits & veggies, healthy pantry items, and great food finds for a fraction of grocery store prices! You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
- Fresh Basil – we grow fresh basil at home year-round with our aerogarden!
- Kale
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity Zoe olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s really inexpensive online here, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value, I would highly recommend!
- Balsamic Vinegar: I use this Colavita balsamic because it has a really great flavor for a store-bought vinegar.
- Red Chili Pepper Flakes: for a little heat in this sauce!
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic when I have it, and this great jarred organic garlic when I don’t have fresh. It’s actually super convenient to have pre-chopped garlic on hand for quick and easy meal prep.
- Walnuts: because YUM. I stocked up a few bags of these Amazon-brand walnuts which are super cheap and a great value for the quality. Pesto traditionally is made with pine nuts, but they can be expensive and hard to find… so walnuts make a great substitute!
- Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: I like to use a pink Himalayan Sea Salt in my kitchen, which has more natural minerals than plain processed table salt. It’s fairly inexpensive, so I’d recommend this salt if you’re looking for an easy way to level up your spice pantry.
- Tellicherry Peppercorns: Like the salt, it’s amazing the flavor difference you can get with really good tellicherry black pepper. Amazon has a generic brand tellicherry peppercorn which is the same price is buying pre-ground, and has a million times more flavor… so I use these really great tellicherry peppercorns, which I would definitely recommend.
Easily Grow Fresh Basil on Your Counter All Year Long
We got this great 6-Pod Aerogarden which is fantastic for growing herbs in the winter. We actually bought it when we lived in a smaller apartment, but even now that we own an acreage we still use it year-round! I love growing herbs on my countertop like fresh basil, dill, mint, sage, thyme, parsley, and lemon balm. It uses LED lights and water, so no messy soil needed – you can have fresh herbs at your fingertips any time. I love picking a few springs of parsley to chop on pastas, adding basil leaves to soups, and tossing some dill in with my pasta salads. This Aerogarden is a great gift for anyone who would like fresh herbs… no big kitchen or green thumb required!
How Do I Make This Pesto with Balsamic Vinegar?
- In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients and pulse on low to combine pesto until it forms a thick paste. If the pesto becomes too thick, add an additional tablespoon more olive oil to loosen it up. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
- Enjoy pesto tossed into pasta, on pizzas, or spread thick on garlic bread!
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free!
- To make this pesto nut free, substitute out the walnuts for pumpkin seeds.
- To make this recipe oil free, you can use water in place of the oil… however, it will have a different texture.
Serve this Balsamic Pesto Sauce With:
Spring Minestrone with Pesto Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Pesto Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Get the Same Ingredients I Used For My Balsamic Vinaigrette with Pesto Recipe:
As always, if you make this vegan and gluten free balsamic pesto vinaigrette recipe 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!
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Pesto Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients and pulse on low to combine pesto until it forms a thick dressing. If the pesto becomes too thick, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to loosen it up. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
- Enjoy pesto tossed into pasta, on pizzas, or spread thick on garlic bread!
Notes
Save Money on Organic Groceries!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!Nutrition
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram!
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Love my salads and love to try new dressings like this one
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