Basil Spinach Pesto Without Nuts
Spinach pesto without nuts requires only a handful of ingredients and is ready in minutes. Use it on your favorite salads, pastas, pizzas and more!
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I can’t lie – I’ve been intimidated to make my own homemade pesto sauce and I don’t really know why.
First off, I’m allergic to pine nuts and tree nuts – so most pestos are out for me. But, can you make pesto without nuts? Absolutely!
And now, it’s going to be a weekly staple for me, or I’ll swap with this high protein pesto recipe!

This spinach pesto without nuts is incredibly easy, flavorful and perfect for spring and summer meals.
Why We Love Spinach Pesto Without Nuts
- Versatile – You can use this basil pesto recipe on so many things, even aside from pasta, like our favorite pesto naan pizza! Chicken tastes dry? Add this nut free basil pesto!
- Nutritious – As a dietitian, of course, I want my food to provide nutrition and flavor, which this does! I love using it as a non-processed sauce on everything!
- Nut free – Did I mention it’s nut free? I am allergic to tree nuts, so perfecting a basil pesto without nuts was important.
- Stores well – Keep it in the fridge for up to a week and you can freeze it for up to 3 months!
- Kids can help make it – As you know, one of my core focuses for intuitive eating for kids is letting them help cook and prepare foods. This just entails throwing ingredients in a food processor and watching it transform.

Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. We used the basil from our back deck – so fun!
- greens of choice – I love a spinach blend in this easy spinach pesto but whatever you prefer!
- basil – Freshly picked is our favorite.
- avocado oil – Olive oil works great as well and can be substituted 1:1.
- tahini (sesame seed paste) – Tahini is a great source of healthy fats and protein.
- lemon juice – This adds a slight tanginess that pairs perfectly with the savory parmesan cheese.
- grated parmesan cheese – If you’re going for a vegan spinach pesto recipe, nutritional yeast is a fantastic substitution.
- spices – I love italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper
- sweetpotatoes – We love using this pesto on sweetpotatoes, but you can serve it on or with anything!

How to Make Homemade Pesto Without Pine Nuts
If you have a nut allergy like me, or you just want a homemade pesto without nuts, this is your recipe.
First, if you plan to serve on baked sweetpotatoes like we do, you’ll want to cut and season your sweetpotatoes and put them in the oven.
You could also use this nut free basil pesto recipe on a baked sweetpotato.

Then, all you do is combine the ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.
Spinach, basil, tahini and lemon juice combine in this seamless homemade pesto without nuts.
I love letting my little ones help with this – adding the ingredients and then pressing process on the food processor.

It’s a great demonstration of food transformation – how the ingredients transform into something so cool and tasty.
Plus, it’s a pretty green color that can spice up most brown or dull foods.

What to Serve with Nut Free Basil Pesto Recipe
Here are some spring and summer recipes that will pair nicely with a refreshing spinach and basil pesto without nuts.
- Oven baked Chicken Kabobs
- Vegan Couscous Salad
- Summer Orzo Broccoli Salad
- Dipping sauce for Quinoa Pizza Bites
- Mango Quinoa Salad
You really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose!
FAQ
How do I store nut free pesto?
You can store it in the fridge in an airtight tupperware container for a week, though some people have reported success storing it for two weeks. Ours just never lasts that long.
You can also freeze nut free basil pesto, for up to 6 months.
How long can you freeze pesto?
You can freeze pesto for up to 6 months. We love to freeze them individually in souper cubes or ice cube trays and just thaw as we need them!
Can I still add nuts to this?
While I made this spinach pesto without nuts due to a nut allergy, if you don’t have an allergy or you prefer pine nuts or other nuts in your pesto, you can add them.
You may need to add more oil to account for the thicker consistency.
Basil Spinach Pesto Without Nuts

Spinach pesto without nuts requires only a handful of ingredients and is ready in minutes. Use it on your favorite salads, pastas, pizzas and more!
Ingredients
Roasted Sweetpotatoes
- 2 medium sweetpotatoes, washed and diced
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Nut Free Basil Pesto
- 3 cups spinach/greens blend
- 1 1/2 cups basil
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice (about the juice of 1 lemon)
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 1/3 cup grated Parm cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- Dice your sweetpotatoes and add to a baking sheet. Combine olive oil and spices in a bowl and add to diced sweetpotato.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until sweetpotatoes soften.
- While the sweetpotatoes are baking, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend.
- Taste and adjust as necessary (more/less salt, more lemon, cheese, etc.)
- Pour pesto onto sweetpotatoes and enjoy.
Notes
*If you are just making the pesto by itself, you can skip the sweetpotatoes and baking and the pesto will be ready in minutes!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 374mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
*Serving size is for 1/3 of a sweetpotato with 1/4 cup pesto
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Support Bucket List TummyLove love love Pesto – This looks really interesting!