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    Salted Plains » Recipes » Condiments, Dips, & Sauces

    Sunflower Seed Pesto (Nut-Free)

    Published: Jun 17, 2023 by Tessa · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A creamy and flavorful twist on traditional pesto, this Sunflower Seed Pesto is made with sunflower seeds, basil, olive oil, and nutritional yeast. Versatile, vegan, and nut-free, it's perfect for pasta, sandwiches, and more!

    Basil sauce in a white dish.

    How do you make vegan pesto without nuts? Easy! With just a couple of ingredient swaps, the process is very much the same. 

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Storage
    • Tips
    • Serving suggestions
    • FAQs
    • Recipes to use with pesto
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Simple ingredients
    • Dairy-free and nut-free pesto
    • Use in a variety of recipes

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.

    Ingredients to make pesto set out in small bowls.

    Sunflower seeds - Instead of the traditional pine nuts, sunflower seeds are a great way to add a nutty flavor without the nuts!

    Plus, their own unique flavor makes this sauce delicious!

    Raw, unsalted sunflower seeds are best or you may find your fresh pesto too salty. Adding a good source of nutrients like vitamin E, magnesium, folate, fiber, and amino acids, this recipe packs a nutritional punch. 

    Basil - Fresh basil leaves make this sauce! Feel free to substitute one cup of basil with baby spinach.

    Extra-virgin olive oil - a high-quality extra virgin olive oil really rounds out the strong flavors of the basil, garlic, and nutritional yeast. Plus, it's got added health benefits!

    Nutritional yeast - In lieu of parmesan cheese found in traditional pesto, nutritional yeast gives us a cheesy tang without the dairy. 

    Garlic - Fresh garlic is best, but if you need to, you can substitute a ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per garlic clove. 

    Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice brightens up the vegan pesto perfectly.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Before you start: Gather your ingredients. 

    Chopped basil and seeds in a food processor.
    Basil, seeds, and lemon juice in food processor.

    Step 1: Add the basil and sunflower seeds to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.

    Step 2: Now add the garlic, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice and process on low.

    Olive oil streaming into a food processor.
    Sunflower seed pesto on a processor.

    Step 3: Slowly stream in the olive oil while processing. Add salt and black pepper, and more to taste. 

    Step 4: Continue to blend until mostly smooth. 

    Storage

    ​Store this sunflower seed basil pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days.

    The sauce will darken in color when exposed to air, so add a layer of plastic wrap touching your pesto, before sealing with a lid.

    You can freeze this sauce in ice cube trays for up to 3 months. There is also the sheet pan method, but I prefer the ice cube trays. 

    Tips

    • Stop the food processor occasionally and wipe down the sides with a rubber spatula so that all the ingredients get integrated.
    • A thin layer of olive oil on top of the sauce before you seal it keeps things nice and fresh!
    • If you like more of a thin pesto sauce consistency, feel free to add extra olive oil. 

    Serving suggestions

    So what do you eat pesto with? Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy it:

    • As a salad dressing
    • Spread on salmon, chicken, or shrimp
    • Tossed with quinoa salads and bowls
    • Spread on a BLT or chickpea flour flatbread
    • Mixed in hot pasta
    • Dip with crackers, veggies, socca chips, or polenta fries
    Green herb sauce in a white dish.

    FAQs

    How long does vegan pesto last?

    Due to the use of fresh basil, vegan pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. 

    What can replace pine nuts in pesto?

    Pine nuts can be replaced in traditional basil pesto with a variety of nuts or seeds. Walnuts, almonds, almonds, pistachios, and sunflower seeds are all great substitutes for pine nuts. 

    Recipes to use with pesto

    • Crackers with pressed sage spread on a piece of parchment paper.
      Savory Oat Crackers (Gluten-Free)
    • Oven Baked Carrot Fries tossed with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parsley, for a deliciously healthy snack recipe. Gluten-free, vegan.
      Oven Baked Carrot Fries (Gluten-Free)
    • A blt sandwich on a plate.
      Veggie BLT Sandwich (Vegan)
    • Seasoned potato chunks on a sheet pan.
      Easy Roasted Mexican Potatoes

    Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!

    📖 Recipe

    Basil sauce in a white dish.

    Sunflower Seed Pesto (Nut-Free)

    A creamy and flavorful twist on traditional pesto, this Sunflower Seed Pesto is made with sunflower seeds, basil, olive oil, and nutritional yeast. Versatile, vegan, and nut-free, it's perfect for pasta, sandwiches, and more!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Appetizer, Condiment
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 161kcal
    Author: Tessa

    Equipment

    • Food Processor

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds
    • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

    Instructions

    • Add the basil and sunflower seeds to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.
    • Add the garlic, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice and process on low for about 30 seconds. Stop to wipe down sides with a rubber spatula, if needed.
    • Slowly stream in the olive oil while processing, then add salt and pepper. Continue to blend until mostly smooth.
    • Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

    Notes

    • If you like more of a thin sauce consistency, feel free to add extra olive oil. 
    • A thin layer of olive oil on top of the sauce before you seal it keeps things nice and fresh!
    To store: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Pesto darkens in color when exposed to air, so add a layer of plastic wrap touching the surface of the pesto, before sealing with a lid.
    To freeze: Divide into ice cube trays and freeze for up to 3 months. There is also the sheet pan method, but I prefer the ice cube trays. 
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 321IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SaltedPlains or tag #saltedplains!
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    Hi, I'm Tessa! I create gluten-free, real food recipes that are approachable and delicious.

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