5-Minute Homemade Pesto in a Blender (Dairy Free)

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Pesto is one of those magical foods that feels very fancy, yet is actually so simple to make. We will show you the easiest method to whip up your own pesto in a blender in no time.

Several years ago, before we had even begun gardening at all, I had a friend invite me over to her herb garden to harvest basil and teach me to make pesto. It was such a fun experience and I was instantly hooked.

From that point forward, we have always reserved a section of our garden dedicated to growing an abundance of basil plants. Our goal is to grow enough of our own basil to make plenty of pesto to freeze and enjoy the whole year.

What is Pesto?

Pesto is a vibrant, green, basil-based sauce with its origins in Genoa, Italy. The word pesto is the Italian word for “to crush”. The traditional method for making it was using a mortar and pestle to crush the ingredients into this sauce.

There are many adaptations to the exact ingredients and ratios used in pesto (you can see our favorite pesto recipe below) but a classic basil pesto recipe includes: basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese.

How Do You Use Pesto?

Pesto is most commonly served on top of pasta. However, there are tons of ways you can use this delicious pesto to make a variety of easy meal options.

The way our family regularly uses it is as the base sauce layer on our deep-dish pizza—or use it on any type of pizza! Pesto is great by itself or really yummy when paired with tomato sauce.

Pesto sauce has so much flavor, it makes a great addition to grilled cheese sandwiches and pairs beautifully with chicken. One of my favorite things to do with pesto is to mix it into scrambled eggs with some grated cheese. Yum!

A jar of pesto would also make a great from scratch gift to share with friends.

Pesto in a Blender (and other methods)

While my favorite way to make pesto is in a blender (and I’ll walk you through exactly how to do that below), there are many other ways to whip this delicious sauce together.

You could use a mortar and pestle to smash all of the ingredients together to get the real authentic taste and experience the divine flavors of how pesto was traditionally made.

Another common method to make pesto is using a food processor. This method is done very similarly to the pesto in a blender recipe that I will walk you through below. 

Regardless of which way you go about it, pesto is definitely worth making!

How to Preserve Pesto?

Our favorite way to preserve pesto is by freezing it. In fact, every year we make several batches to have enough frozen stored pesto to have all year round. Pesto freezes and thaws beautifully.

To Freeze, we simply pour our finished pesto into silicone muffin cups or ice cube trays and stick in the freezer to let freeze. Once frozen, we put them in a gallon size Ziplock bag and store in the freezer.

Leftover pesto will also store well in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks after making.

The Many Pesto Substitutions

One of the great things about pesto is that it is extremely flexible. While traditional pesto is made with basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, there are many adaptations that would work as well, using a variety of fresh ingredients.

Basil – While pesto is traditionally made with fresh basil leaves, most any fresh herbs or greens could be used either in place of basil or in combination with basil. We’ve made pesto with nettle, carrot tops, fennel fronds, cilantro, and kale. Really the options are endless when it comes to what greens you would like to use. 

While the type of green you use will slightly change the taste, it’s always delicious and the best way to use up extra leafy greens. 

Garlic – Whether you use garlic cloves, garlic scapes, or powdered garlic is up to you. We’ve done all of the above with great success. The key here is just to make sure you have some form of garlic in your pesto for the best flavor.

Olive Oil – Olive oil is definitely our go-to when making pesto but you could alternatively use avocado oil. We wouldn’t recommend other nut or seed oils.

Pine Nuts – To be honest, I’ve never made pesto with pine nuts. While this is the traditional way to make it, pine nuts are more difficult to source and more expensive. We have always opted for almonds or walnuts instead.

Parmesan cheese – Cheese will definitely give your pesto a creamier texture. But we have always omitted the cheese in our pesto recipe and it still tastes delicious. Other delicious cheese options besides parmesan are asiago or pecorino Romano.

Tips for Success When Making Pesto in a Blender

While it may seem straight forward, there are a few tips that will make your experience go much better. 

Ideally, using a high-powered blender (we love our Vitamix) with various power settings and a tamper to push down your basil leaves is extremely helpful when making pesto in a blender.

Begin by putting all of your ingredients besides the olive oil in your blender. Turn the blender on and increase to a high speed. Use your tamper to push down your basil leaves. Continue to blend until everything is thoroughly incorporated.

Once your nuts and greens are all finely chopped, pour in the olive oil and blend on medium to high speed until a smooth sauce is formed.

Another tip to preserve the vibrant green color of pesto is add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice.

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Homemade Basil Pesto without Dairy in a Blender Recipe

Yield: Approximately 2 cups

Ingredients:

4 cups Basil Leaves (packed)
1 cup Nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts)
3-4 chopped Garlic Cloves
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place basil, nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper into blender.

2. Turn on medium to high speed and blend until greens and nuts are finely chopped.

3. Pour in olive oil.

4. Blend until everything is fully mixed and a smooth and creamy sauce is formed.

5. Pour in containers to refrigerate* or freeze for later use.

*Store pesto for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

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For More of Our Favorite Garden Recipes:

Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
Sugar Free Tomato Sauce
No Peel Apple Sauce
Red Cabbage Sauerkraut

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