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Home » All Recipes » Basil Pesto with Almonds

Basil Pesto with Almonds

January 3, 2016

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This Basil Pesto with Almonds comes together in minutes and only requires a few common ingredients.  It’s a fantastic condiment that can be used in a variety of ways.

glass jar full of Basil Pesto with Almonds

Pesto is sooo good.  I use it in pasta dishes, on chicken, on seafood, or even as a spread on sandwiches.

You can usually find some pretty tasty prepared pesto at just about any grocery store.  But, it’s just as easy to make it yourself.  And, when you do that, you can play around with the ingredients.

In this recipe, I switched out the pine nuts (which are traditionally used in pesto recipes) for almonds.  Just about any nut will work, really.  I just like the idea of using almonds because I almost always have almonds on hand.  But, I almost never have pine nuts on hand.

 

food processor full of Basil Pesto with Almonds ingredients

To make this recipe, simply add fresh basil, almonds, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor.  Process until the ingredients are broken down.  Then, as the processor is on, slowly drizzle in some olive oil.  It’s ready in minutes.

glass jar full of Basil Pesto with Almonds

The almonds give this pesto great flavor and they also retain just a little bit of their crunch giving it a great texture too.

Try this pesto in my Chicken Pesto Pasta.

glass jar full of Basil Pesto with Almonds

Basil Pesto with Almonds Recipe

This Basil Pesto with Almonds comes together in minutes and only requires a few common ingredients.  It's a fantastic condiment that can be used in a variety of ways.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Amanda Finks
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
5 from 19 votes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves from about 3 oz. fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • In a food processor or blender, add the basil, almonds, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Turn on the processor for about 15 seconds to break down the ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the processor.
  • Turn the processor on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil until well combined.
  • Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 15.7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 0.8g
Course Condiments & Sauces
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword basil pesto with almonds, pesto recipe
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3 image collage with text showing Basil Pesto with Almonds

3 image collage with text showing Basil Pesto with Almonds
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Comments

  1. Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Allergy Friendly Eats says

    January 5, 2016 at 8:35 PM

    These photos are gorgeous! Sounds yummy!

    Reply
  2. Rebecca says

    June 14, 2016 at 9:29 AM

    This sounds like a great recipe. I have rarely met a basil pesto I did not like. I have a question: should the almonds be raw or toasted? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Bilbo says

      July 6, 2018 at 7:41 AM

      I always thought you had to use pine nuts, but I made it with cashews a few weeks ago and it was great. About to try it with almonds as it’s all I’ve got in the cupboard.

      Reply
    • Daniel says

      July 16, 2018 at 11:24 PM

      I used raw. If you don’t want the skin, soak it in water for 30 minutes and you can easily take the brown off.

      Reply
    • Mary Jones says

      July 23, 2018 at 5:53 PM

      5 stars
      I toasted them for 10 minutes on 350.
      Worked perfectly!

      Reply
  3. Lucy says

    July 6, 2016 at 7:27 PM

    5 stars
    Awesome! I added it to penne pasta, crispy mushrooms sautéed in evoo, and chicken breasts. I also added a splash of lemon juice and crushed red pepper flakes for a kick. Love it!

    Reply
  4. Lesley says

    July 24, 2016 at 7:01 AM

    How long does it last it the refrigerator?

    Reply
  5. David Hess says

    September 2, 2016 at 9:03 PM

    5 stars
    First time I made pesto with my basil, awesome! Toasted the almonds, just the right taste.great recipe

    Reply
  6. Mel says

    February 27, 2017 at 2:34 AM

    5 stars
    This is just amazing! I’m looking forward to adding it to my zucchini noodles tonight!!!

    Reply
  7. anna says

    May 22, 2018 at 3:27 AM

    5 stars
    Was delicious, needed big squeeze of lemon juice too though!

    Reply
  8. Lindsay says

    July 1, 2018 at 8:32 PM

    5 stars
    This turned out great! I used two cups of fresh basil from my plant and a cup of organic kale! Tonight I topped my eggplant with it and I’m going to try it on spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles next! I also added half a lemon.

    Reply
  9. Winni says

    September 27, 2019 at 12:57 PM

    5 stars
    Works perfectly every time 😀👍

    Reply
  10. Lee says

    October 6, 2019 at 4:24 PM

    5 stars
    This was so easy and delicious on whole grain pasta! I, too, always have almonds and don’t like to spend the money on pine nuts. I prefer to use roasted nuts and I have made pesto with roasted walnuts as well and it was good too. Thanks for the quick and easy recipe!

    Reply
  11. Jessica R. says

    November 20, 2019 at 1:50 PM

    This recipe is fantastic! I wanted to thank you for it. I’m not the hugest fan of pine nut pesto, and I always have almonds on hand, so this recipe is perfect for me. Believe it or not, I just made a QUADRUPLE recipe (I had a ton of Basil), and I”m planning on freezing the pesto in cute jars and handing them out at Christmas time as hostess gifts! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

    p.s. Sometimes I sub about a quarter or third of the almonds with pistachios — either way it’s delish!

    Reply
  12. francine says

    April 16, 2020 at 7:20 AM

    can i make this recipe with almond flour, it is already powdered.

    Reply
  13. Arlene says

    May 17, 2020 at 6:24 PM

    5 stars
    I never knew I could substitute almonds for pinenuts in basil pesto. I just made this pesto and it’s so delicious.
    I will never use pinenuts in my pesto again.

    Reply
  14. Linda says

    July 10, 2020 at 2:47 PM

    5 stars
    This pesto is delicious and so easy to make. I have made it multiple times.

    Reply
  15. Judy says

    August 7, 2020 at 9:48 AM

    5 stars
    I toasted the almonds, with skins on, for 15mins in the oven, added Thai mint- just a handful, and lemon juice – 1tbsp. It is delicious.
    THANKS!

    Reply
  16. Deborah Messing says

    August 7, 2020 at 1:09 PM

    Came out great! Only change I made was to reduce the amount of olive oil to 5 Tbsp., instead of 8.
    Just as smooth and creamy as you could want, with simply less oil..
    Also, would highly recommend using the best quality real Italian Parmigiano Reggiano you can find/afford. When I was the cheese buyer at our Coop, people constantly said, ¨Oh, I´ll just use the cheap parmesan from Argentina, pre-ground. Itś JUST for making pesto!”But I would say, You’ve gone to all this trouble, using fresh basil, nuts, etc. – Why not go all the way and use the real Parmigiano, which has a ton more flavor/ounce and will send your pesto over the moon.

    Reply
  17. donelle kemmer says

    August 16, 2020 at 6:22 PM

    5 stars
    Love it ! I grow a lot of basil so I made this and used toasted almonds with sea salt from Costco. I added some lemon juice that others had mentioned and it was wonderful ! Thanks for the recipe. Now I need to look for ideas how to use it.

    Reply
  18. Paula MacLean says

    August 28, 2020 at 1:00 PM

    5 stars
    I cut the garlic by one clove as we are not huge fans of strong garlic flavor. It is yummy! Recommend adding salt after tasting it as the parm is salty and you may want to cut the salt to 1/4 tsp. I also covered it in a think layer of olive oil after packing into a container. This helps it stay tasting fresh and not oxidize or turn dark in the fridge.

    Reply
  19. Dorcas White says

    September 15, 2020 at 1:22 PM

    5 stars
    Wonderful! I made it in a blender, but found that I needed to add 1/4 C. water to pulse and get it as smooth as thick peanut
    butter. Spread 4 heaping tablespoons onto a large white tortilla and cut it into 8 pieces with a pizza cutter. Yum! Yum!
    Think I might make it with Smokehouse Almonds next, and leave out the salt. Great recipe! Thank you!

    Reply
  20. Gillian says

    October 1, 2020 at 9:34 AM

    5 stars
    Delicious I made it by hand in pestle and mortar gave it a chunckier character

    Reply
  21. Linda Falk-Czechowski says

    October 5, 2020 at 4:10 PM

    Since Pine Nuts give me “Pine Mouth” (google it if you are not sure what that is), and my son is allergic to walnuts which I’ve used before, I was excited to find your recipe using Almonds! It was so easy, and I have SO MUCH basil in my garden! Thank You!

    Reply
  22. Sarah E. Miller says

    January 12, 2021 at 10:28 AM

    5 stars
    tasty and easy to prepare, will definitely make again!

    Reply
  23. Lianne says

    January 21, 2021 at 11:16 AM

    This is an awesome pesto recipe. So delicious!

    How long will it stay in the refrigerator?

    How long will it last in freezer?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  24. Jessica R says

    January 21, 2021 at 4:03 PM

    Thank you for this recipe. I’ve been using it for years! I like it better than traditional pesto, and it’s cheaper too! Thank you so much for it!

    Reply
  25. Donna says

    July 1, 2021 at 3:58 PM

    5 stars
    I Love this recipe. With so many food allergens it was great to have a recipe that still worked with a substitute. I always have almonds on hand also and was so pleased to know that almonds were included. Dairy is life threatening for me, so I had Daiya Tapioca cheese on hand and it still was a winner. I also loved knowing that a blender or processor works. This was a great flexible find.

    Reply
  26. Annie says

    September 25, 2021 at 4:46 PM

    5 stars
    I had a bumper crop of Italian parsley, so I did 1/2 and 1/2 parsley and basil. Also toasted the almond and added may 2 TBS more of EVOO. Delicious!

    Reply
  27. Laurie says

    March 6, 2022 at 4:41 PM

    5 stars
    Tastes amazing :’).

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Amanda Finks –

Amanda Finks, RDN Profile Picture for The Wholesome DishI’m a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Zionsville, IN. I’m an avid cook, travel nerd, & lover of good food! I’m trained in Food Science & recipe development.  It’s my mission to bring you the BEST recipes your whole family will love!  See More.

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