17 Easy Pesto Recipes Without Pine Nuts (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of pine nuts in pesto? ›

Almonds would be my choice, they have a delicate flavor. Unsalted cashews work well also. Macadamia and brazil nuts are also really good, though not necessarily cheaper than pine nuts. I prefer pecans to walnuts, since they are somewhat sweeter.

They are all good, but my preference is making pesto without any nuts at all. The texture is smoother and creamier, and it's just less expensive and less effort, without really sacrificing flavor.

Alternative Pesto: An Un-Recipe

Fennel fronds, carrot tops, parsley, celeriac leaves, kale, spinach, mustard greens, collards, and so on, make an exciting and unexpected sauce. Sub out the nuts, acid, oil, and cheese for a truly unique flavor experience.

When fresh basil isn't in season, it can be really pricey or even impossible to find. I like to use kale, spinach, or arugula in its place. You can find the kale variation I like to use in this pesto pasta salad recipe.

Sure, most open pestos will last in the fridge for up to five days, but that doesn't mean they'll taste as good as they did on day one. If your pesto tastes more bitter than it did a day or two earlier, the most likely explanation is that the herbs have started to oxidise.

As pesto just means pounded there are a few variations that use a variety of nuts, including the classic Sicilian pesto called trapanese which is made with almonds and tomatoes. If making a traditional pesto recipe, the most common swap for pine nuts is walnuts but pumpkin seeds can also be used.

Pistachios, almonds, and walnuts or even seeds like sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin can replace the traditional pine nuts in pesto. Pretty much any edible nut tastes delicious—just make sure to toast and cool the nut before grinding them into the sauce.

You'll want to be mindful of the sodium content. Some jars have more than 500mg per serving and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend you eat no more than 2,300mg per day. It would be hard to stay within those guidelines if you get more than 20% of your sodium from pesto.

Browning happens most readily at neutral pH, so making the pesto's pH more acidic can help slow down this process. We found that lemon juice, which contains both citric and ascorbic acid, preserved the pesto's green color without compromising its flavor, adding just a hint of pleasant acidity.

Its scarcity, plus the fact that the plants are picked roots, soil, and all to ensure that only juvenile leaves make it into pesto, makes it extraordinarily expensive and something that only premium, artisan pesto makers can justify using.

Does homemade pesto taste better? ›

The taste:

When I first tried it, the most notable flavour was the garlic, making me wonder if a little more basil and just one clove would provide a more balanced taste. There were no complaints though – homemade was a unanimous hit!

If you don't have fresh lemon you can substitute lime juice or apple cider vinegar. This will change the final flavor but still works well.

PESTO SHOULD NEVER BE “COOKED”. If you cook Pesto Sauce, you change the make up of the fresh basil and cause it to turn darker in color. It is best to warm it up and use it at room temperature. If it needs to be thinned out, you can do so by adding a little water, chicken stock, cream or white wine.

It's not a sauce. Pesto is expensive to make because you can't compromise on the quality of ingredients.”

Pesto – This green sauce usually consists of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. If you find the basil flavor is too strong, try replacing half of the basil with spinach. You can also substitute walnuts or almonds for pine nuts.

The best substitute for pine nuts? Chopped cashews. Cashews have a lightly sweet flavor and soft texture that mimics pine nuts rather well. Chop them down into roughly the size of pine nuts, about 1/2-inch long pieces.

I soak raw almonds in salt water instead of pine nuts. Also I'll add up to 20% baby spinach to the basil. Peas. A restaurant I worked at substituted pea pesto for regular pesto, to avoid issues with customers with nut allergies.

Cashew for their creamy texture, and almonds for their flavour.

While we love a classic pesto studded with pine nuts, these typically pricey nuts aren't required to make the delicious sauce. Here, eleven terrific recipes that use alternative nuts (or even no nuts at all!), including aromatic mint pesto and autumnal sage-walnut pesto.