Easy and Creamy Avocado Pesto (dairy-free)
If you love a creamy pesto but want a dairy-free, plant-based sauce, you’re going to love this Easy and Creamy Avocado Pesto. Made with a handful of simple ingredients, this avocado pesto recipe is packed with fresh flavors and a creamier texture than traditional pesto. Plus, it’s a great way to add heart-healthy fats to your meals!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 158kcal
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!
Notes
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.
Tips and Modifications:
Not freezer-friendly (avocados don’t thaw well!), so enjoy it fresh!
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 472IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg