This easy recipe is economical, loaded with flavor, and ideal for families with a nut allergy. Plus the pesto freezes well, so you can enjoy the versatile condiment all year long!
If I were to choose just one condiment to get me through the summer, it would be pesto. The fresh seasonal sauce can be incorporated into a wide range of dishes, lending impressive flavor with exceptional ease.
Several years ago, I shared my go-to pesto—and several recipes in which to use it—in this space. I still adore that recipe, but with two types of cheese, two kinds of nuts, and a handful of other ingredients, it’s not the quickest or cheapest recipe in town.
Inspiration for a new recipe came last year while enjoying lunch at Tom+Chee with my friend Pam. The fast-casual restaurant, which Pam owns and runs with her husband, Bret, uses sunflower seeds instead of pricey pine nuts for a nut-free, budget-friendly pesto. The taste was outstanding, so I set about making my own version at home.
My pesto-loving family gives this edition its stamp of approval, and it has become a favorite of a friend whose son has a severe nut allergy. Pesto was something he had always wanted to try, but conventional recipes had always been off-limits for him. (I have an excellent dairy-free, vegan option, too—feel free to comment if there’s a need.)
So once you’ve transformed freshly picked basil into a fragrant green sauce, what are some good ways to use it? Pesto is incredibly versatile, so consider the following ideas and then feel free to experiment.
- Use it as a sauce for pasta or zucchini noodles
- Marinate shrimp in it before grilling
- Mash pesto into a baked potato
- Toss cooked veggies in it
- Spread pesto on a sandwich, pizza, or flatbread
- Fold into scrambled eggs or an omelet
- Whisk it into salad dressing
- Stir a spoonful into marinara sauce or soup
- Dollop over grilled steak or chicken
- Make pesto bread instead of garlic bread
- Add a smear to a grilled cheese sandwich….or a tomato sandwich
- Toss rice or your favorite grain with pesto
With so many ways to enjoy this flavor-packed sauce, I like to make several batches of this easy-to-make sauce throughout the summer. It freezes well and will provide a taste of summer all winter long.
(Hint: If you make the pesto this week, save enough for quick and easy Pesto Baked Chicken. You’ll need 1-2 tablespoons per person, and it will reward you with a nearly effortless meal.)
And if you have leftover grilled veggies, I highly recommend a Grilled Pesto Veggiewich. 💚
With two types of cheese and two kinds of nuts, Asiago Pesto Spread (pictured below) is a slightly fancier option that’s brimming with fresh flavor. If your basil plants are flourishing, you may wish to try this recipe, too. Both freeze very well.
Sunflower Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2½-3 cups packed basil leaves, washed and dried (about 4 ounces when weighing the bunches with stems)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds*
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼-⅓ cup olive oil** (plus more if freezing)
Instructions
- Place the basil in the bowl of a food processor. (It’s ok to use some of the stems.) Top with the cheese, seeds, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop, and then process in a few longer bursts; you want the mixture to be evenly chopped but still have some texture.
- Scrape down the sides, and then with the machine running, add the oil in a fine stream through the feed tube. Process until pesto is mostly smooth. (I like to keep just a hint of texture.)
- Use immediately or transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate. The top layer will brown slightly over time but the pesto will still taste good. (See tip.)
- To store in the freezer, transfer to freezer-safe containers***, add a thin layer of olive oil to cover the surface, put on the lids, and then label with the date and freeze. The frozen pesto will keep for about a year.
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