Early fall is the perfect time of year to harvest what’s left of the basil in your garden before the first frost! I love basil in so many things, but there’s nothing like the bright flavours of pesto for comfort dishes.
Did you know you can make pesto with almost any kind of greens? Pesto is traditionally made with basil, but why stop there?
Traditional pesto usually has five components: oil, herb, acid (usually lemon juice), cheese, toasted nuts.
With this formula, what else could you create? Here are some of my favourite herbs and veggies for making “pesto”, and below I’m going to share my favourite option for a dairy-free pesto you’ll love.
- Arugula
- Kale
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Tarragon
- Blends of the above!
Here’s a recipe for a tarragon pesto that makes the most sensational addition to baked chicken, or a mushroom ravioli. It has a bit of a French twist. If you’re dairy-free, keep scrolling down!
Tarragon Pesto:
In your food processor:
- 1.5 cups fresh tarragon leaves
- About 1/3 cup of gruyere, emmenthal, or Swiss cheese (or a blend of all three!)
- 1/4 cup of toasted almonds
- Small garlic clove
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt, pepper, and Herbes to Provence to taste!
Dairy-free Basil Pesto:
Swap out basil for any of your favourite greens! In your food processor:
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- small garlic clove
- 2 tbsp lemon
- Salt, pepper, and lemon rind to taste!
Optional: Love cheesy flavour? Add about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast.