This is the best parsley pesto recipe! It's so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and is such a great way to add more flavour to your meals. Plus this pesto is healthy, dairy-free, and vegan!
I love pesto sauces like my walnut basil pesto and citrus arugula pesto because they help add so much flavour to meals, and are so easy to make! That's why I can't wait for you to make the parsley pesto recipe I am sharing with you today.
Why you will love this recipe:
- This fresh parsley pesto is so easy to make and is ready in just a few minutes!
- The flavour! The herbs and seasonings blend together so well to give this pesto the best taste.
- This healthy pesto recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, keto, low carb, Whole30 compliant and paleo.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Fresh parsley - the fresher the better! You can use either flat leaf parsley, Italian parsley or curly parsley to make parsley pesto. Instead of parsley you could use other fresh herbs such as fresh basil as well.
- Olive oil - to help make the most creamy pesto when you blend the ingredients together. You can also use avocado oil or walnut oil instead of olive oil.
- Raw cashews - most pesto recipes are made with pine nuts, but I went with raw cashews instead to give it a slightly sweeter flavour. Be sure to use raw and not roasted cashews. Instead of cashews you can use sunflower seeds, blanched almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts.
- Garlic
- Lemon juice and zest - to add a hint of citrus flavour to this pesto.
- Salt and pepper
Optional add ins:
- If you tolerate dairy: add 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese.
- For more flavour add 1/2-1 teaspoon of crushed chili flakes to this parsley pesto recipe.
- Add other herbs: you can add a little mint or cilantro to give this vegan pesto sauce a different taste.
Parsley pesto uses:
You can use this parsley pesto sauce in many different ways. A few of my favourites include:
- As a topping for meat dishes like steak, roasted chicken or grilled fish such as blackened mahi mahi or blackened cod fish.
- It can be used as a sauce for pasta salad such as on my tuna pesto pasta salad, on roasted vegetables, or as a salad dressing.
- It makes a great dip for crackers or raw veggies.
- You could use it to make a turkey pesto sandwich.
Parsley pesto FAQs:
Store any leftover parsley pesto in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Yes, pesto freezes really well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
If you use old parsley or add too many stems the pesto can become more bitter. Try to use fresh parsley and remove as many of the stems as possible for the best tasting pesto.
Other sauces and dips you will love:
Recipe
Parsley Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed fresh parsley stems removed and cleaned
- 3/4 cup raw cashews (or pine nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds or blanched almonds)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- sea salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in your food processor and blend until smooth
- Remove from food processor and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
- Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Maggs
What can I use instead of cashews
Erin Carter
I have not tried this recipe with any variations so can't guarantee that any swaps would work out.
Alison Recca-Ryan
Added garlic and parmesan and then added it to shrimp with rotini pasta. Everyone loved it! Froze the extra.
Erin Carter
Oh I'm so glad it was a hit!
Erin Carter
Thanks Rachel! Cant wait for warmer weather to hit to start eating this stuff again
Rachel
Wow, the color is amazing. I can just taste its rich herbal zing!