Easy Almond Parsley Pesto

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What to do when one has an abundance of parsley? Turn it into this delicious Almond Parsley Pesto of course! Making homemade pesto is SO easy and so much healthier for you then store bought. In this recipe we combine parsley, almonds, garlic, olive oil and sea salt for a simple twist on the classic basil pesto.

Contents:

One of the things I love about this recipe is that it freezes really well and parsley doesn’t tend to go brown like basil can so it keeps well in the fridge for around a week. There are so many ways to use this pesto but here are some of my favs:

• toss through pasta
• use as a salad dressing
• use as a dip for veggie sticks and crackers
• spread onto sandwiches and wraps

What to Love About Almond Parsley Pesto

• allergy friendly – this recipe is dairy free, gluten free, egg free and vegan. Make this recipe nut free by using toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds instead of almonds. 
• easy to make – this sauce takes just 5 minutes to make using a food processor!
• simple ingredients – all of the ingredients were really easy to find from the grocery store, except for the parsley, which I got from my garden! 

What You Need to Make Parsley Almond Pesto 

I’ve popped all of the ingredients that you need to make this recipe below as well as any ingredient notes and possible substitutions. The ingredient quantites are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• fresh parsley – you can use other fresh herbs like basil, cilantro (coriander), mint or a combination. Or even kale or baby spinach!
• almonds – you really can use any nut or seed in this recipe such as pistachios, pine nuts, cashews or walnuts.  
• extra virgin olive oil – I highly recommend using a good quality extra virgin olive oil. However you could also use flaxseed oil for an extra omega 3 kick.
• garlic clove – I’ve used just one garlic clove but if you really love your garlic and like a bit more of a kick then you can add more to taste. 
• sea salt flakes 

Variations

If you want to get a little creative then you can some extra ingredients for some different versions.

• cheesey – add some parmesan cheese to the food processor before blending. 
• zesty – add a little lemon zest and lemon juice to taste. 

Let’s Get Cooking! 

To make this pesto sauce, add the parsley leaves and stems, almonds, peeled garlic clove, olive oil and salt to a food processor or bench top high-speed blender. Pulse and then process on high until you reach your desired texture. You will need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides occasionally. I like using raw almonds but you can toast them first if you like. 

That’s it, it’s really that easy! 

The traditional way to make pesto is by adding the ingredients to a mortar and pestle and grinding until you get a course paste, which you absolutely can do! 

What to Serve With Almond Parsley Pesto

Storage

Store the pesto in a glass jar with a lid or glass airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. This pesto also freezes well. To freeze, divide between smaller glass airtight containers, place the lids on and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, spoon into ice cube trays and freeze, then pop the pesto cubes out into a freezer bag, seal and freeze for up to 3 months.