Dairy Free Pesto (3 Ways!)

Pump up the flavor in any meal with this amazing dairy free pesto! And you’ll never believe there’s no cheese involved. Easy, delicious and ready in 5 minutes or less, it’s also super customizable. You can mix and match with different greens or nuts and seeds. Egg free, gluten free, soy free and vegan with a nut free option.

Dairy Free Pesto in a bowl with bread to the side.

Ever feel like your dinner could use a little extra flavor?

Like you need something to jazz up that boring piece of chicken or spoon over some leftover veggies?

Well look no further because this incredible dairy free pesto is here to please!

Slightly creamy, zesty and a hint garlicky, it’s absolutely fantastic on just about anything you can dream up.

But the best part? It’s totally customizable. 

Can’t do nuts? Swap them out for sunflower seeds. Don’t want to spend money on basil? Try spinach or arugula instead.

And if you’re stuck for inspiration, have no fear. I’ve included three (yes three!) different flavor variations down in the recipe. 

Basil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast and garlic in a food processor.

How To Make Dairy Free Pesto 

So, let’s talk about how this easy condiment goes down:

Pulse dry ingredients. First up, we’ll add our greens, nuts (or seeds), nutritional yeast, garlic and salt to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. 

Add in olive oil. We’ll pour in some olive oil and process again until the pesto is nice and smooth. 

We’ll taste and season with additional salt or pepper if needed, then use as desired.

Ingredients for No Cheese Pesto in bowls and then combined in a food processor.

Serving Ideas 

Now, there are so many different options when it comes to using pesto. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

  • toss with your favorite pasta
  • try on potato salad instead of traditional dressing
  • use as a pizza sauce (like with this cheese free pizza)
  • dip away with crusty bread
  • dollop over a cooked protein (such as chicken, steak or eggs)
  • spread on a sandwich
  • mix with cooked veggies for added flavor

You really can’t go wrong!

A glass jar filled with Dairy Free Pesto Sauce.

Tips & Tricks

  1. Let’s talk mixing and matching. You can absolutely swap out the greens for ANY of the flavor variations. Just make sure you keep it to the 3 cups lightly packed. Maybe you want to try all spinach. Or basil + spinach. Or all arugula. Go for it – really anything will work. 
  2. Same goes for the nuts / seeds. You can swap them out between the different flavors. Just remember to use the ¼ cup measurement for seeds or pine nuts and the ⅓ cup measurement for larger nuts (like walnut pieces, pecan halves or cashews).
  3. A note on the kale – I personally like to use lacinato kale. I find it has a more mild flavor than the traditional curly version. But even that will work! Just up to you and your taste.
  4. And finally, don’t be afraid to add more olive oil to thin out the pesto. I like to keep it a bit thicker if using on pizza, but will thin it out if tossing with pasta. Adjust to your needs.

How To Store

Fridge: The pesto will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Freezer: It will also keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Personally, I love to freeze pesto in ice cube trays – once completely frozen, transfer the pesto cubes to a freezer-safe baggie or container. Thaw out a cube (or several!) in the fridge when ready to enjoy.

Three jars filled with Pesto Without Cheese.

Additional Dairy Free Condiments You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Dairy Free Pesto in a bowl with bread to the side.

Dairy Free Pesto (3 Ways!)

Yield: scant ¾ cup pesto
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Pump up the flavor in any meal with this amazing dairy free pesto! And you'll never believe there's no cheese involved. Easy, delicious and ready in 5 minutes or less, it’s also super customizable. You can mix and match with different greens or nuts and seeds.

Ingredients

Classic pesto:

  • 3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup raw pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
  • ⅓ cup olive oil

Arugula spinach pesto:

  • 2 cups lightly packed baby arugula leaves
  • 1 cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves
  • ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
  • ⅓ cup olive oil

Kale spinach pesto:

  • 2 cups lightly packed chopped kale leaves (stems removed)
  • 1 cup lightly packed baby spinach leaves
  • ⅓ cup raw cashews or walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
  • ⅓ cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. For any of the flavors, add all the ingredients except the olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. 
  2. Add in the olive oil and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. If you want to thin out the pesto (depending on how you’re using it), add in additional olive oil a little at a time. 
  3. Taste and season with additional salt / pepper as desired.

Notes

See the tips & tricks section in the post above for info on mixing and matching the greens and nuts / seeds.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 156Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice. Nutritional info is for the classic basil pesto.