Nut free pesto - Real Recipes from Mums

There is nothing like the smell of fresh basil and it is so easy to grow in any garden or balcony pot! This fresh pesto is perfect as a dip or through pasta. You could even take this recipe to school and use herbs from your school garden. Stir through our Orecchiette pasta recipe for a delicious meal or after school snack.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 bunch Basil
1 handful Baby spinach leaves
400 g tin Chickpeas (reserve the liquid)
1 clove Garlic
1/2 lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup Rice bran oil
100g Fresh parmesan cheese (from a block, not pre-grated pack)
Pinch Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Place the basil leaves and spinach in a blender/food processor, add peeled garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice and oil.
Blend until your desired consistency - some people like it really smooth, others love it chunky.
If too thick, use some of the reserved chickpea juice to thin to your preferred consistency.
Mix in parmesan cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Stir through fresh cooked pasta, add chicken and top with fresh grated parmesan. Lots of kids love pesto through scrambled eggs to make green eggs and ham! Serve on crackers with cheese and tomato, or as a dip. If you have no nut allergies in your family, you can put toasted pinenuts or cashews instead of the chickpeas.

18 Comments

- - country chick said
  - 30 Apr 2019
    8:56 pm
Oh I like the idea of this.. will have to try

- - maddisonmelkie@gmail.com said
  - 05 Dec 2017
    11:04 am
I do love pesto and have only ever tried it with nuts but i do like tjis recipe i think chickpeas wpuld work well

- - mom101628 said
  - 11 Jul 2017
    10:58 am
Thanks for sharing this recipe – sounds great and I’m sure I’ll love it. Any tips on getting fussy, fussy people to try it?

- - mom112023 said
  - 30 Apr 2017
    1:21 pm
Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait to try it.

- - Melissa89 said
  - 31 Jul 2016
    12:55 am
I love pesto

- - youngoldlady said
  - 29 Jul 2016
    8:37 pm
A great recipe for pesto and easier then I was taught.

- - mom134803 said
  - 29 Jul 2016
    1:04 pm
Yum !!

- - Nas01 said
  - 07 May 2016
    6:26 pm
Fantastic nut free recipe. Thanks fur sharing.

- - Madeline De Leon said
  - 30 Apr 2016
    2:52 pm
great nut free alternative for those with allergies. =) i love that we can substitute and make ways !

- - mom62624 said
  - 27 Mar 2016
    6:33 am
A great nut-free alternative; thanks for sharing!.

- - mom165081 said
  - 29 Feb 2016
    12:46 am
This is one of the few things of this style my sister could eat – sounds super tasty too

- - kjgarner said
  - 30 Jan 2016
    9:56 pm
Yay a pesto I can enjoy… Nut free…

- - mom94125 said
  - 30 Nov 2015
    1:02 pm
well i have to say that i love your choice of oil. i always buy rice bran oil for the health benefits it has.
- mom94125 replied
  
  01 Dec 2015 , 10:44 am
  cheers for contributing this recipe idea. i have loved it and have shared this onto facebook. i sure am happy to do that as this recipe is fabu!
- - robyn_smithwick said
  - 26 Nov 2015
    8:35 pm
My daughter would like this as she wont eat any type of nut!

- - mom93821 said
  - 23 Nov 2015
    6:34 am
Thanks for this recipe – I do like nut free alternatives.

- - mom90758 said
  - 19 Nov 2015
    12:52 pm
With chickpeas… what a lovely idea!!

- - mom112217 said
  - 19 Nov 2015
    12:15 pm
Love pesto and l like the idea to use cashews,this would be heaven in my pasta,thanks!