• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Grain Free Table logo
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • Let's Connect
  • Work With Me
  • About
×

Home » Recipes » Pasta

Gluten-free Pesto without Pine Nuts

Published: Apr 14, 2020 · Modified: Jul 7, 2022 by Meeta Arora · Leave a Comment

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Click for complete disclosures. 

You can make a delicious pesto without pine nuts. This gluten-free pistachio spinach basil pesto will be your go-to sauce for everything.

This gluten-free pesto sauce is a little different than traditional basil pesto. While that is delicious, sometimes you just need something new. This recipe is so flexible that you can make it one of a kind gluten-free sauce that you love and use all the time.

Gluten-free pesto in a bowl sitting by a small bowl of pistachios, fresh spinach and basil.
Jump to:
  • Pesto without pine nuts.
  • Ingredients.
  • Gluten-free pesto faq.
  • Storing spinach pesto.
  • Freeze pesto without it turning brown.
  • Serving suggestions.
  • More gluten-free sauces to try.
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Comments and Ratings

Pesto without pine nuts.

Personally, I love traditional pesto with basil and pine nuts, but my family, not so much. This pesto recipe uses pistachios as a substitution for pine nuts. Using pistachios to substitute for pine nuts gives this pesto a milder flavor.

Ingredients.

It is possible to make pesto without pine nuts. This gluten-free pesto uses a combination of spinach and basil as greens in this recipe. The two balance each other nicely without overpowering, creating a delicious spinach basil pesto sauce.

  • Pistachios - If you really don't like pistachios, you can use a nut like walnuts or almonds to keep this pesto sauce without pine nuts. Spinach almond pesto is a delicious combination.
  • Spinach - I find that fresh baby spinach works best with this spinach pesto recipe.
  • Basil - You want to use fresh basil.
  • Garlic
  • Parmesan Cheese - Freshly grated parmesan cheese is best for making pesto.
  • Olive Oil - You can also use avocado oil if you want it milder.
  • Lemon
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Overhead view of the ingredients needed to make a gluten-free pesto.

REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER FOR FREE AND RECEIVE WEEKLY RECIPE NOTIFICATIONS AND SUBSCRIBER ONLY BONUSES.

YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW GRAIN FREE TABLE ON PINTEREST TO MAKE IT EASY TO SAVE YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES!

Steps.

Let me show you just how easy it is to make gluten-free pistachio spinach basil pesto.

  1. Add the pistachios, spinach, basil, lemon, parmesan, and spice to a blender or food processor.
  2. Pulse until the mixture looks crumbly.
  3. With the food processor on low, drizzle in the olive oil.
  4. Watch the pesto and stop adding oil once your pesto sauce has the desired consistency.
Collage photo of the steps to make a gluten-free pesto without pine nuts.

Gluten-free pesto faq.

Is pesto gluten-free?

Most pesto sauce is gluten-free, but you should always check for the possibility of cross-contamination since pesto is commonly served on sandwiches and pasta dishes that could contain wheat.

Can you make a nut-free pesto?

Yes, you can make a nut-free pesto. To make a nut-free pesto, you can substitute your favorite seeds (out of their shells) if you can also use edamame or even white beans. This gluten-free pesto sauce can be made with or without nuts.

Can you make a dairy-free pesto?

Yes, you can make a dairy-free pesto by leaving out the parmesan cheese and using some nutritional yeast as a substitute. You can even just leave out the cheese altogether, and you will have a delicious vegan spinach pesto with this recipe.

Storing spinach pesto.

This pistachio spinach pesto will last in a container in the fridge for about four to five days.

Freeze pesto without it turning brown.

This gluten-free pesto freezes really well. When the pesto is frozen, the fresh herbs can oxidize from exposure to oxygen. It is still okay to eat brown pesto. It won't be harmful to you; it just does not look as pretty.

  • To prevent your pesto from browning, make sure that your pesto is completely covered with an airtight seal before freezing.
  • You can freeze pesto for up to three months. Just know that fresh herbs lose their potency over time, so the flavor will be less the longer you freeze the pesto.
  • To defrost your gluten-free pesto, leave it in the fridge overnight.
Spinach pesto made without pine nuts is tossed with some gluten-free pasta and being served with more fresh spinach and diced tomatoes.

Serving suggestions.

This spinach basil pesto is so versatile you can use it as a gluten-free pasta sauce over your favorite pasta for an easy al pesto pasta or as a gluten-free chicken marinade (it is really good grilled). You can even use it as a sauce to make a gluten-free pesto pizza. The bonus is it comes together in about five minutes, making it a perfect addition to a weeknight menu.

More gluten-free sauces to try.

  • Creamy goat cheese pasta with sauteed mushrooms and shredded brussels sprouts are being served on a plate with gluten-free pasta.
    Creamy Gluten-free Goat Cheese Pasta Sauce
  • Up close view of homemade gluten-free pasta sauce being served over spaghetti noodles in a bowl.
    Gluten-free Marinara Pasta Sauce
  • Homemade gluten free alfredo sauce over gluten free pasta with fresh spinach and grilled chicken in a white skillet.
    Homemade Gluten-free Fettuccini Alfredo Sauce
  • Gluten and dairy-free alfredo is topped over some hearts of palm alfredo noodles with some fresh broccolini ready to be eaten with some black forks and fresh lemon.
    Creamy Gluten and Dairy-free Alfredo Sauce

If you love pesto but want to try something new, give this version a try and let me know what you think!

Pistachio spinach pesto on some grilled chicken sitting on a plate with more pistachios and fresh basil and tomatoes.

📖 Recipe

Gluten-free spinach pesto in a small white bowl next to some pistachios.

Gluten-free Pesto without Pine Nuts

Meeta Arora
You can make a delicious pesto without pine nuts. This gluten-free pistachio spinach basil pesto will be your go-to sauce for everything.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course basic, sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 209.84 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients
  

  • ½ Cup Unsalted Pistachios Shelled
  • 4 Cups Baby Spinach Fresh
  • 1 Cup Fresh Basil
  • ¼ Cup Olive Oil You can also use avocado oil.
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Teaspoon Pepper
  • ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese Freshly grated is best or see notes to make this a dairy-free pesto.

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor except the olive oil.
    ½ Cup Unsalted Pistachios, 4 Cups Baby Spinach, 1 Cup Fresh Basil, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice, 2 Cloves Garlic, 1 Teaspoon Salt, ½ Teaspoon Pepper, ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese
  • Pulse until everything has combined and a paste has formed.
  • With the food processor on, drizzle the olive oil into the mixture. If you want to make it a looser sauce, add more avocado oil if desired.
    ¼ Cup Olive Oil
  • Use it as a pasta sauce over your favorite gluten-free pasta, as a marinade, or eat it with a spoon directly because it's that good!

Notes

Can you make a nut-free pesto?
Yes, you can make a nut-free pesto. To make a nut-free pesto, you can substitute your favorite seeds (out of their shells) if you can also use edamame or even white beans. This gluten-free pesto sauce can be made with or without nuts.
Can you make a dairy-free pesto?
Yes, you can make a dairy-free pesto by leaving out the parmesan cheese and using some nutritional yeast as a substitute. You can even just leave out the cheese altogether, and you will have a delicious vegan spinach pesto with this recipe.
Storing fresh spinach pesto.
This pistachio spinach pesto will last in a container in the fridge for about four to five days.
How do you freeze pesto without it turning brown?
This gluten-free pesto freezes really well. When the pesto is frozen, the fresh herbs can oxidize from exposure to oxygen. It is still okay to eat brown pesto. It won't be harmful to you; it just does not look as pretty.
  • To prevent your pesto from browning, make sure that your pesto is completely covered with an airtight seal before freezing.
  • You can freeze pesto for up to three months. Just know that fresh herbs lose their potency over time, so the flavor will be less the longer you freeze the pesto.
  • To defrost your gluten-free pesto, leave it in the fridge overnight.
Keyword dairy free pesto, gluten free pesto, nut free pesto, pesto without pine nuts

​If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Check these out next!

  • Up close look at a plate of a slice of gluten-free lasagna being eaten.
    Easy Gluten-free Lasagna
  • Up close of a bowl of gluten-free spaghetti tossed with a five cheese marinara sauce and sprinkled with more fresh parmesan.
    Gluten-free Five Cheese Marinara
  • Gluten-free cheese ravioli being served with a fresh tomato basil marinara sauce.
    Homemade Gluten-free Ravioli
  • Up close of little piles of gluten-free egg noodles cut into fettuccini strips.
    Gluten-free Egg Noodles

Reader Interactions

Leave a comment. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Grain Free Table Author Sara in her kitchen

Welcome to Grain Free Table! I’m Sara- a busy wife, mom of two girls, and lover of food. Here you’ll find lots of easy and delicious gluten & allergy-friendly recipes, info about my favorite food & products, as well as little snippets of my health journey as I navigate my gluten-free way of life!

More about me →

WANT TO STAY CONNECTED?

SIGN UP FOR EMAILS AND UPDATES!

FIND ME ON SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

WHAT'S NEW ON INSTAGRAM

Get ready for a burst of refreshment with this Rea Get ready for a burst of refreshment with this Real Lemon Lemonade! 🌞 🍋🥤

Whether you're a kid or a kid at heart, this timeless drink is an absolute favorite. Sip it as the perfect kids' lemonade, or get creative and mix up some sensational summer cocktails for the adults! 🍹

Get the recipe at grainfreetable.com or DM me to get the link!

#lemonlemonade #summervibes #summercocktails #cheerstosummer #lemonlover #deliciousdrinks
Is anyone else excited for summer and all the fres Is anyone else excited for summer and all the fresh watermelon?

Summer vacation is just around the corner, and this year there are going to be some BIG changes that I am kind of excited about. 

It's time to let at least one little surprise secret out for you guys. I am in the middle of MOVING! 😬 Not far, just a new house we bought that has a huge new kitchen that I am so excited to get to play around in. 🥰

I am also excited about my new bigger yard, so I can plant the biggest garden I've ever had and grow all the summer watermelon my kids can eat. 🍉

Thankfully watermelon is an easy to have around the house snack, moving or not, haha. If you've ever been intimidated about picking and cutting watermelons, head over to the site and see my favorite ways to cut a watermelon. I promise it's easier than you think!

While you're there, you might as well whip up a batch of my watermelon margaritas to enjoy with the summer heat to come. 😊

https://grainfreetable.com/easy-ways-to-cut-a-watermelon/

#watermelon #watermelonmargarita #watermelonrecipes #glutenfreesnacks #glutenfreefood #summersnacks
Here is your reminder moms like desserts too! Thes Here is your reminder moms like desserts too! These gluten-free brownies will not disappoint. They even get bonus points for being easy enough for the littlest helpers to make them for mom too!

Find the full recipe on the site!

#glutenfreebaking #glutenfreebrownies #glutenfreedessert
Is your mom an oatmeal lover? I bet she would love Is your mom an oatmeal lover? I bet she would love for you to whip up a batch of this gluten-free baked oatmeal to make her Mother's Day brunch delicious and super easy in the kitchen so she can spend more time having fun with you.

Find the full recipe at https://grainfreetable.com/gluten-free-berry-swirled-baked-oatmeal-w-crumb-topping/.

#glutenfreebreakfast #glutenfreebrunch #glutenfreeoats #glutenfreeoatmeal #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreefood #glutenfreebakedoatmeal #bakedoatmeal #bakedoatsrecipe
If your mom is a little more traditional in her id If your mom is a little more traditional in her ideas of a delicious Mother's Day brunch, I've got you covered!

Head to the site where you will find so many delicious gluten-free breakfast ideas from pancakes, waffles, German pancakes, french toast, and even some gluten-free crepes!

These recipes are true staples in our house and no one will know they are completely gluten-free!

https://grainfreetable.com/category/recipes/breakfast/

#glutenfreebreakfast #glutenfreebrunch #glutenfreepancakes #glutenfreewaffles #glutenfreegermanpancakes #germanpancake #glutenfreefrenchtoast #glutenfreecrepes
Is your mom a potato lover? Then you should make h Is your mom a potato lover? Then you should make her some this Mother's Day!

My sweet potato breakfast hash is quick and easy to make and customize with the flavors she loves.

Want an alternative to boring shredded hashbrowns? Then you should make my crispy skillet potatoes! They taste just like your favorite old-school breakfast diner and are so easy to make!

Find both recipes on the site.

#sweetpotatoes #sweetpotatorecipe #sweetpotatobreakfast #breakfastpotatoes #skilletpotatoes #crispypotatoes #airfryerpotatoes 

 

,
It's less than a week away from Mother's Day, and It's less than a week away from Mother's Day, and this mom knows that sometimes keeping things simple makes for more of a relaxing day. 

Granted, around here, it's quite a busy day with plans, haha, but that's okay.

Thankfully my kids know just how easy it is to whip up a batch of our favorite gluten-free blueberry muffins to enjoy this weekend will make it easy to get to all the fun stuff quicker.

No matter what you've got planned, gluten-free muffins are going to be a hit! You can find the full recipe as well as more delicious flavors on the site, link below or in bio. 

https://grainfreetable.com/the-best-gluten-free-blueberry-muffins/

#glutenfreemuffins #glutenfreemuffin #glutenfreeblueberrymuffins #blueberrymuffins #glutenfreebreakfast #glutenfreebrunch #glutenfreerecipes 
 

,
If you don't know, we LOVE Mexican food around our If you don't know, we LOVE Mexican food around our house, which is probably why there is not one, not even two, but THREE gluten-free enchilada recipes on the site, haha. 

No matter if you want spicy, mild, or classic enchilada flavors, there's a gluten-free enchilada recipe for you. 

My personal favorites are my salsa verde green chicken enchiladas, the sauce is so flavorful, and they are delicious, even when they are made dairy-free!

Find all the recipes and so many more delicious gluten-free Mexican food recipes on the site, link in bio.

#glutenfreemexicanfood #glutenfreeenchiladas #chickenenchiladas #enchiladarecipe #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreefood #glutenfreerecipe
Is any Mexican feast complete without some delicio Is any Mexican feast complete without some delicious Mexican rice and refried beans?

This Cinco de Mayo, I dare you to make a batch of my homemade gluten-free refried beans and Mexican skillet rice. Then try to go back to anything that comes out of a can again. 

You can find both recipes on the site, along with tons more delicious gluten-free Mexican food recipes to enjoy any night of the week.

#glutenfreemexicanfood #homemaderecipes #refriedbeans #mexicanrecipes #mexicanrice #ricerecipes #glutenfreefood #glutenfreerecipes

Popular Recipes

Up close look at a plate of gluten-free swedish meatballs and gravy.

Incredibly Easy Gluten-free Swedish Meatballs

Homemade gluten-free sweet and tangy bbq beef jerky sitting in a jar and spilled over the side.

Sweet and Tangy BBQ Beef Jerky

A bowl of gluten-free red beans and rice made with cauliflower rice.

Gluten-free Louisiana Red Beans and Cauliflower Rice

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • My Favorites
  • Let's Connect
  • About

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Portfolio
  • Client Inquiry Form

Disclaimers

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Nutrition Disclaimer
  • Photo/ Recipe Policy
  • Comment Policies

Contact

  • Contact
  • Subscribe

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Grain Free Table