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Home » Recipes » Dips, Dressings, Sauces & Seasonings

Homemade Skinny Basil Pesto (without nuts)

Published: Jun 7, 2018 · Modified: Jan 2, 2022 by Eileen xo

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Basil Pesto that is nut-free and easy to make!

Homemade Basil Pesto, is nut-free and perfect for so many recipes! Leaving out the pine nuts does not reduce the flavor of this basil pesto, it just reduces calories! woohoo!

This is a healthy pesto recipe with basil that can make so many recipes from basil pesto pasta, pesto zoodles to my very popular Healthy Tuscan Bean Salad!

A low-fat basil pesto because I make this without pignoli nuts. It's a perfect way to add flavor to so many meals and appetizers, without adding extra calories!

An overhead photo of a healthy basil pesto without pine nuts in a white bowl ready for basil pesto pasta

My garden is blooming and one of my favorite herbs is basil! I love basil because I can grow it year round. Basil is so versatile and I love that I can make a healthy pesto recipe using basil without using pine nuts.

I have a low-fat pesto that makes amazing pesto pasta, chicken pesto, shrimp pesto....endless possibilities.

Skinny Basil Pesto is so much better than any store-bought pesto recipe loaded with preservatives.  Being homemade, this is a healthy pesto recipe using clean ingredients and to keep calories lower.

A nut-free pesto that everyone enjoys and perfect for those with a nut allergy.

Some other recipes you may want to add this homemade skinny basil pesto into would be Eggplant Caprese Salad or Mediterranean Veggie Flatbread Pizza!

FAQs about Basil Pesto

How much basil pesto do you put on pasta?

On one pound of pasta, I start with ½ cup. Check for seasoning and depends what else I am adding to the pasta.

Can you freeze fresh Healthy Basil Pesto?

Yes. To freeze, put 2 Tablespoons of the pesto into each bucket of an ice cube tray (seriously my favorite icecube tray ever - Check out the link below in Shop to make Skinny Basil Pesto) and then once frozen, place each cube into a freezer bags. Basil Pesto can be kept in the freezer for about 3 months.

How long can Healthy Pesto Recipe with Basil be kept in the fridge?

Low-fat basil pesto can keep in the fridge, well covered in a storage container for about 4-5 days. Basil Pesto can be kept in the freezer for about 3 months well wrapped.

What are the origins of basil pesto?

Pesto originated in the Liguria region of Northern Italy. I have read that basil was abundant in India and brought to Italy where it also abundantly grew.

 

healthy skinny basil pesto without pine nuts in a small white bowl ready to add to pasta

 

“As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

  • Ninja Blender/Food Processor: one of my two favorite multi-use kitchen appliances. 
  • My Favorite Ice Cube Trays:  The BEST Ice Cube Trays ever!

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Tips for making great Basil Pesto:

  • Be sure to use fresh Basil with healthy green leaves.
  • If basil leaves are black, do not use. The basil has gone bad.
  • There are just a few ingredients in basil pesto, Use a good Pecorino Romano Cheese for the best flavor.
  • Always taste your basil pesto for seasoning. Re-season if needed.

 

How to Make Skinny Basil Pesto Recipe Without Pine Nuts:

1. Place fresh basil in the food processor.

packed basil leaves in the food processor ready to make basil pesto

2. Add the Pecorino Romano, garlic cloves, pepper, and salt. Blend well.

An overhead view of a food processor filled with fresh basil, freshly grated parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil, pepper, and salt that will be blended to make skinny basil pesto

3. Process the food processor to blend the basil leaves and other ingredients, about 1 minute.

 

homemade basil pesto in a food processor that has been blended to combine the basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic

 

Serving ideas for your Basil Pesto Recipe:

  • great hostess gift. Present the basil pesto in a mason jar to your host.
  • serve on fish
  • poultry
  • pasta
  • spaghetti squash
  • zoodles
  • pizza, I can keep going with the possibilities.

Skinny basil pesto in a white serving bowl loaded with garlic and Parmesan and fresh basil leaves to the right of the bowl on a checkerboard green and white linen.

When you make Homemade Skinny Basil Pesto or add it to any recipes, take a pic and tag me on Instagram @everyday_eileen or #everydayeileen. We love seeing your recipes and I try to repost the pics.

I love any comments or questions below!

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Are you loving this yummo Skinny Basil Pesto, giving it a 5-star rating and any comments are super helpful for me and very much appreciated!

The most delicious homemade skinny basil pesto ready to be added to a great bowl of pasta

Skinny Basil Pesto

Skinny Basil Pesto is perfect over pasta or added into many dishes including frittatas, chicken, and shrimp. A perfect addition to any veggie dish. This easy low-calorie pesto is nut-free and freezes really well!
4.18 from 67 votes
Print Rate
Course: Sauce, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Italian, Vegetarian
Keyword: sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 86kcal
Author: Eileen

Equipment Needed:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups packed basil leaves
  • ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • salt, to taste to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine fresh basil, Pecorino Romano cheese, and garlic.  Pulse until coarsely chopped.
  • While running food processor on low, slowly add olive oil until mixture is well blended. Check the pesto mixture after adding the ¼ cup of olive oil. Depending on how well you packed your basil, you may need a bit more olive oil, no more than â…“ of a cup of olive oil.
  • Season with the pepper and salt, to taste.
  • Adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

  • Use right away or freeze in ice cube trays. 2 Tablespoons in each cube. Once frozen, place in freezer bags and use as needed. I use within 3 months.
  • The basil pesto keeps in the fridge, well covered for about 3-4days.
  • any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tablespoon | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Everyday_Eileen or tag #everydayeileen!

This recipe was originally published in October 2016. I have tweaked the recipe and updated the article posted today.

Pin Basil Pesto to make anytime:

 

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Comments

  1. Dianne

    September 08, 2021 at 6:39 pm

    I absolutely love pesto and when tasting it after making felt it was lacking something. I added 1/2 squeezed lemon and made a big difference. So much better. I will likely add even a bit more next time. Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 17, 2021 at 4:44 pm

      That is awesome. So glad you enjoyed the recipe and were able to adapt it to your taste with some lemon. I hope you make it often.

      Reply
  2. Randy

    June 14, 2021 at 7:33 pm

    5 stars
    This was a perfect recipe and very easy to make. My first time making nut free pesto. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      June 17, 2021 at 1:21 pm

      Hey Randy, that is great to hear. I am so glad you enjoy the pesto. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know how the recipe worked for you.

      Reply
  3. Eileen M.

    September 10, 2020 at 5:48 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! Thank you for sharing it! So easy to make and so delicious!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      September 10, 2020 at 9:38 pm

      Eileen, Love your name 🙂 and thank you so much for letting me know you love the pesto. I made a huge batch today too.

      Reply
  4. AJ

    August 02, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    Can I use vegan parm cheese?! Please?

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      August 03, 2020 at 12:45 am

      Hey AJ, absolutely.I've used vegan parmesan with much success.Let me know how the recipe goes for you. Enjoy.

      Reply
  5. Daphne

    June 23, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    Can the Pecorino Romano cheese be substituted with something else? If I'm not wrong Pecorino Romano cheese is pretty pricey..

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      June 24, 2020 at 1:19 am

      Hi Daphne, if Pecorino Romano cheese is a bit pricey in your area grocer you can most certainly use Parmesan Reggiano cheese. You can buy small pieces to use for the pesto. I hope that helps and you enjoy the pesto.

      Reply
  6. susanna

    June 09, 2020 at 7:00 am

    5 stars
    this recipe was everything! it was a taste explosion in my mouth, really SO good!! way better than any store-bought Pesto, will keep making it. happy that there is no taste sacrifice when you leave out the pine nuts! seriously yummy

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      June 10, 2020 at 1:40 pm

      Awesome Susanna, I'm so glad you like the pesto.

      Reply
  7. Marsha

    November 05, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    This is all I ever wanted in a Pesto. You put my thoughts into a recipe, Thank you! And might I point out Locatelli® brand for the pecorino romano? It's "the" cheese for all your italian dishes. Have you tried it? It's a staple in our house passed down from my Italian mother.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      November 06, 2019 at 1:25 am

      Aw, thank you, Marsha! I am very happy that you enjoy pesto.Me too. I can't thank you enough for your kind feedback and I hope you make many recipes with this pesto.

      Reply
  8. Jackie

    November 03, 2019 at 4:23 am

    It was very easy to make and really tasty. Family loves it

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      November 04, 2019 at 12:00 pm

      That's great Jackie. I'm so happy you like the pesto

      Reply
  9. Barbara

    October 28, 2019 at 3:38 pm

    5 stars
    I LOVE Pesto! This recipe is also great on top of roasted veggies (zucchini, mushrooms. etc).
    After I roasted my delicious veggies and put them in a bowl, I toss them with pesto and a dash of romano.
    FABULOUS!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      November 04, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      Awesome Barbara. I just made some pesto this morning I love it with my roasted veggies as well.

      Reply
  10. joyce

    July 15, 2019 at 6:33 pm

    This is perfect! My daughter is allergic to all nuts so I'm going to try this recipe for her.
    How much sauce do I use if I'm using a 1 lb box of pasta?

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      July 18, 2019 at 11:37 pm

      Hey Joyce, glad you enjoy the recipe for Basil Pesto. I start with half a cup of pesto on the pasta and add more if needed. I hope you enjoy and let me know after you make the pasta how the recipe works for you!

      Reply
  11. Anne Lawton

    July 06, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    5 stars
    I keep pesto in my freezer all year long! The nut-free version is perfect for adding to sauces to flavor them during the winter. Great Idea!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      July 20, 2019 at 1:39 am

      Thank you Anne! I hope you enjoy the pesto all year!

      Reply
  12. Erin Vasicek

    July 05, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    I love pesto so much, I probably should make a skinny version cause I load it on!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      July 28, 2019 at 3:07 am

      Excellent ERin! Enjoy the pesto!

      Reply
  13. Liz @ Books n' Cooks

    July 03, 2019 at 6:47 pm

    I love me a good basil pesto - I make it and stock my freezer all summer long. Add it to store-bought ravioli and it's a favorite quick weeknight dinner for us.

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      August 10, 2019 at 10:01 pm

      Awesome Liz! Enjoy the pesto!

      Reply
  14. Angie | Big Bears Wife

    July 01, 2019 at 11:27 pm

    I have never made pesto before! Saving this recipe so I can give it a try this weekend. We have a ton of basil to use up!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      August 30, 2019 at 2:30 am

      Excellent Angie! Pesto is the best!

      Reply
  15. Rachel

    August 20, 2018 at 8:39 pm

    5 stars
    We must live nut-free, but with this delish recipe, we never miss them!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      August 21, 2018 at 2:23 am

      Absolutely Rachel, I am so glad you enjoy this nut-free basil pesto! I agree I don't miss the nuts in this pesto, it's delish!

      Reply
  16. Katie

    August 02, 2018 at 10:33 am

    Is the service size really one teaspoon?

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      August 02, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      Hi Katie, I had to check my original notes. I made an error in calculating when I updated to a new recipe system. Thank you for picking that up. I have updated the nutritional values. It should be the amount per serving is 1 Tablespoon. I hope you enjoy the pesto

      Reply
  17. [email protected]

    June 20, 2018 at 12:32 am

    Your recipes look amazing. Thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      June 22, 2018 at 11:25 pm

      I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe!

      Reply
  18. Meagen Brosius

    June 08, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of those recipes that I love to have on hand. It's so versatile and adds that fresh pop of flavors to so many great dishes...we love adding it to an adult grilled cheese! I love that it freezes so well so I can make a big batch and thaw some out whenever I want to use it!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      June 22, 2018 at 11:32 pm

      Meagan, grilled cheese with skinny basil, pesto fresh mozzarella, and eggplant! delish!

      Reply
  19. Nellie Tracy

    June 08, 2018 at 12:15 pm

    5 stars
    I love healthier (but just as tasty) recipes of my favorites and this one is definitely that! So happy to have this recipe!

    Reply
    • Eileen xo

      July 02, 2018 at 12:10 am

      I am so glad you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  20. Dominique | Perchance to Cook

    June 08, 2018 at 11:34 am

    This looks so fresh!! I love that it's a "Skinny" version of pesto. I would put this sauce on top of literally everything!! I can't wait to make it.

    Reply
  21. Claire Osborne

    April 01, 2018 at 2:41 am

    5 stars
    Our favorite go-to Basil Pesto. I never liked pine nuts and this is so easy. We make it in a big batch and freeze!

    Reply

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