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Creamy Basil Walnut Pesto Recipe Without Pine Nuts Easy Homemade

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A quick and easy creamy basil walnut pesto that replaces pine nuts with toasted walnuts and adds a smooth texture with cream cheese or Greek yogurt. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or roasted veggies.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed, washed and dried
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese or Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread walnuts evenly on a baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool completely.
  2. Rinse basil leaves and pat dry thoroughly. Peel the garlic clove.
  3. In a food processor, add toasted walnuts, basil leaves, garlic, and grated Parmesan cheese. Pulse 5-6 times to roughly chop.
  4. Add cream cheese (or Greek yogurt) and lemon juice. Pulse a few more times to blend evenly.
  5. With the processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in olive oil through the feed tube. Stop and scrape sides as needed until smooth but slightly textured.
  6. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Pulse once or twice to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning or lemon juice if needed.
  7. Check texture; pesto should be thick but spreadable with small walnut pieces. If too thick, add a teaspoon of olive oil or water to loosen.
  8. Transfer pesto to a jar or bowl. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Notes

Toast walnuts carefully to avoid bitterness. Use dry basil leaves to prevent watery pesto. Pulse in short bursts to keep texture. Add olive oil slowly to emulsify. Adjust lemon juice and salt to balance flavor. Press a thin layer of olive oil on top before storing to prevent browning. Can be frozen in ice cube trays for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: basil pesto, walnut pesto, creamy pesto, no pine nuts, homemade pesto, easy pesto recipe, basil sauce, walnut sauce

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/creamy-basil-walnut-pesto-recipe-without-pine-nuts-easy-homemade/