Description

A quick and easy nut-free Pumpkin Seed Pesto made with pumpkin seeds, fresh basil, garlic, and lemon. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 5 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil (plus more as needed)
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in a skillet until golden.
Add seeds, basil, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor.
Drizzle in olive oil while blending until smooth and creamy.
Scrape sides as needed and adjust with more oil for desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately or store in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top.

Notes

Toast your pumpkin seeds for deeper flavor. Swap basil with parsley, cilantro, or arugula for variation. Pesto freezes well — make a double batch and save some for later.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Sauce
Method: Blending
Cuisine: Vegan

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tbsp
Calories: 120
Sugar: 0g
Sodium: 75mg
Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 4g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: pumpkin seed pesto, nut-free pesto, vegan pesto, gluten-free pesto, basil pesto alternative