Almond Pesto is an easy variation on the Classic Italian Pesto sauce. It comes in handy in mindful ways. It is one of the best pantry staples.
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Homemade Pesto sauce is always fresh and economical. It is so easy to make and comes in handy when you need to quickly whip up any meal. One of the essential and my favorite pantry staple.
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Why you will love this recipe
This classic Almond pesto is
- Vegetarian and can be easily made vegan.
- Gets ready in just 10 mins.
- Can be frozen for months together.
- Can be easily used with pasta, salad, sandwich, pizza, and many more.
Ingredients
Basil - Classic pesto always calls for fresh Italian Basil leaves.
Almonds - Traditionally pine nuts are in the pesto sauce. I am using almonds instead. Almonds, Walnuts, or even cashew nuts go well in pesto in place of pine nuts.
Parmesan- Gives the cheesy touch to the sauce. You can replace parmesan with national yeast or just skip for a vegan sauce.
Olive oil - It indeed adds up to the flavor. so never recommend replacing olive oil with any other oil. Use good quality Olive oil.
Salt, Garlic - Adds up to the taste.
How to make Almond Pesto
1.Add the Almonds to a pan and toast for 3-4 mins or until they are fragrant. Switch off and let it cool down.
2. In a blender add the cleaned Italian Basil Leaves.
83. Next add the toasted Almonds, Garlic, Salt, and grated Parmesan.
4. Blend to a coarse paste and then add the love oil.
5. Once again blend into a creamy sauce. Pesto Sauce is now ready.
Tips & Variations
- Never use the oil first before grinding. Always use after pulsing the ingredients. Scrap the edges of the blender and add oil as needed.
- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). It makes a lot of difference in the taste and flavor.
- Never grind the pesto to a puree consistency. It should be a coarse paste. Use a food processor for the best results.
- If using a blender use the pulse option to bring the pesto to the desired consistency.
- Traditionally Pesto sauce is made in the Mortar and Pestle in Italy.
- Replace Parmesan with Nutritional yeast for a vegan Almond Pesto.
- You may use pine nuts in place of Almond for the traditional Pesto sauce recipe.
- Toasting and adding the Almonds definitely makes a difference rather than adding raw almonds. So I recommend adding toasted almonds.
- Always use fresh Basil leaves. You can also use Spinach or Mint along with the basil leaves.
Storage Suggestions
Pesto sauce stays good in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you have to store it for a longer time, I suggest freezing the sauce. You may freeze the pesto in the icecubes tray.
Once they are frozen you may remove them and store the cubes in ziplock bags. Use 1 or 2 cubes at a time as needed for cooking.
How to use
It comes in handy for Pasta, Salads, Sauce, sandwich spreads, pizza toppings, and many more. You may also use them as a dipping sauce for roasted veggies or meat.
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📖 Recipe
Almond Pesto
Standard 1 cup measures 240 ml
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups Basil Leaves
- ⅓ cup Almond
- ⅓ cup Olive oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Parmesan
- 3 clove Garlic
Instructions
- Add the Almonds to a pan and toast for 3-4 mins or until they are fragrant. Switch off and let it cool down.
- In a blender add the cleaned Italian Basil Leaves.
- Next add the toasted Almonds, Garlic, Salt, and grated Parmesan.
- Blend to a coarse paste and then add the love oil.
- Once again blend into a creamy sauce. Pesto Sauce is now ready.
Notes
- Never use the oil first before grinding. Always use after pulsing the ingredients. Scrap the edges of the blender and add oil as needed.
- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). It makes a lot of difference in the taste and flavor.
- Never grind the pesto to a puree consistency. It should be a coarse paste. Use a food processor for the best results.
- If using a blender use the pulse option to bring the pesto to the desired consistency.
- Traditionally Pesto sauce is made in the Mortar and Pestle in Italy.
- Replace Parmesan with Nutritional yeast for a vegan Almond Pesto.
- You may use pine nuts in place of Almond for the traditional Pesto sauce recipe.
- Toasting and adding the Almonds definitely makes a difference rather than adding raw almonds. So I recommend adding toasted almonds.
- Always use fresh Basil leaves. You can also use Spinach or Mint along with the basil leaves.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, the nutrition value provided here is an estimate. It will vary based on the quantity and brands of the products used.
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