Vegan Parsley Walnut Pesto

4.91 from 11 votes

This vegan parsley walnut pesto is thick, rich, and ready in 10 minutes with five ingredients. No cheese, no basil, no pine nuts required. Parsley works year-round and walnuts toast up better than pine nuts anyway. Use it on pasta, grilled chicken, sandwiches, pizza, or straight from the jar. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free with no substitutions needed.

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Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings 8 servings

Metric - US Customary

Ingredients

▢ 2 cups (50 g) flat leaf parsley - loosely packed (about 1 bunch)
▢ ½ cup (59 g) walnuts - toasted and roughly chopped
▢ 2 cloves garlic
▢ 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh lemon juice
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ cup (112 g) extra virgin olive oil - plus up to ¼ cup more as needed

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Instructions

Add 2 cups (50 g) flat leaf parsley, ½ cup (59 g) walnuts, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is roughly combined.
With the food processor running continuously, slowly drizzle in ½ cup (112 g) extra virgin olive oil through the feed tube. Start with ½ cup and add up to ¼ cup more until the pesto is smooth and reaches your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a sealed glass jar until ready to use.

Notes

Walnuts: Use unsalted. Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Let cool before adding to the food processor.
To add cheese: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan after blending. This will make the recipe no longer dairy-free or vegan.
Gluten-free: All ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten-free.

Nutrition