Easy and Creamy Avocado Pesto (dairy-free)
This Easy and Creamy Avocado Pesto is the perfect quick and healthy sauce for busy days. Made with simple, dairy-free ingredients, it blends into a rich, flavorful pesto that’s perfect for pasta, sandwiches, and easy weeknight meals.
This creamy avocado basil pesto is the perfect quick and healthy sauce to elevate any meal. Toss it with your favorite pasta, drizzle it over zucchini noodles, or spread it onto sandwiches and wraps for a fresh, flavorful boost.
It’s one of those simple recipes I love having on hand for busy days when I want something that feels homemade but doesn’t take much effort. It’s fresh, versatile, and an easy way to add healthy fats and flavor to everyday meals.
If you need another delicious pasta sauce recipe, you’ve also got to try this Homemade 10-Minute Marinara Sauce.
Spotlight on This Easy and Creamy Avocado Pesto
- It’s creamy and delicious: The addition of ripe avocado creates an ultra-creamy, smooth texture without any dairy or parmesan cheese, making this vegan avocado pesto rich and satisfying.
- It’s fresh and wholesome: Unlike store-bought pesto, this recipe is made with simple, real ingredients and no additives, making it a clean, feel-good option for your family.
- It’s packed with nutrients: Made with fresh herbs, healthy fats, and plant-based protein from walnuts and nutritional yeast, this pesto is both nourishing and flavorful.
- It’s versatile: Use this creamy avocado pesto with pasta, spread it on toast, or serve it as a dip for an easy, healthy addition to any meal.
- It’s easy to make: Simply add everything to a food processor and blend until smooth for a quick, no-fuss vegan sauce ready in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Try sunflower seeds instead of walnuts for a nut-free pesto. I did try making this recipe with hemp seeds and did not like the flavor.
I recommend making this dip in a shallow food processor just because it is easier. However, feel free to use a high-speed blender. Either will work.
This creamy avocado pesto pasta pairs well with whole-wheat or chickpea pasta, or your favorite pasta cooked according to the package directions.
Yes! I recommend making it only about a day before you need it or less. The avocado will make the sauce brown.
This avocado pesto is easy to serve in a variety of ways. Toss it with pasta, serve it over zucchini noodles, add it to meal prep jars, or use it as a spread for sandwiches and wraps.
This avocado pesto is rich, creamy, and fresh with a bright, herby flavor from the basil. It has a smooth, buttery texture from the avocado, balanced with a hint of garlic and a light, savory finish.
The Ingredients
Avocado: Grab one large and ripe avocado as the base of this sauce. While it make the sauce creamy and hearty, is also is packed with healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
Basil: Grab a bunch of fresh basil and remove the stems before placing them into the food processor. Basil brings all of the freshness to this pesto.
Garlic: Use fresh garlic for this recipe in order to get a perfect balance of spice. I would recommend not using garlic powder.
Lemon juice: Once again, I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled. It makes for a fresher outcome.
Walnuts: We swap out the traditional pine nuts for walnuts. Trust me, you’ll love them. They are hearty and so nutrient dense.
Olive oil: This is the best oil with a delicious flavor that works perfectly in this recipe. Avocado oil can work, too.
Nutritional yeast: You can skip this ingredient however I like to replace parmesan with this cheese alternative that is packed with nutritious goodness.
Salt and pepper to taste.
The Instructions
Step one: In your food processor, combine the avocado, fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, walnuts, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
Step two: While on, slowly pour in the olive oil and a few tablespoons of water until smooth and creamy.
Transfer to your desired dish. Enjoy!
Storage
To keep your avocado pesto sauce fresh and green, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. *Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pesto to prevent browning.
Not freezer-friendly (avocados don’t thaw well!), so enjoy it fresh!
Tips + Modifications
If you cannot do walnuts, for a nut-free option try sunflower seeds instead. It will change the flavor, however.
If you love lemon, add lemon zest to the ingredient list for a more citrusy sauce.
Common mistakes include using an unripe avocado, which won’t blend smoothly, adding too much garlic, which can overpower the flavor, and not using enough lemon juice, which helps balance the taste and keep the pesto bright green.
More Delicious Vegan Dip and Sauce Recipes
Hidden Veggie Cashew Crema Sauce
Easy and Creamy Avocado Pesto (dairy-free)
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
- 1 large, ripe avocado
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves *no stems
- 3 tablespoons walnuts
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- juice from half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 tablespoons filtered water
Instructions
- In your food processor, combine the avocado, fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, walnuts, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stop and scrape down the sides a few times.
- While on, slowly pour in the olive oil and a few tablespoons of water until smooth and creamy.
- To keep your avocado pesto sauce fresh and green: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pesto to prevent browning.Not freezer-friendly (avocados don’t thaw well!), so enjoy it fresh!
