This creamy pesto salad dressing can be whizzed up in your food processor in 5 minutes flat. Store it in a jar, and use it on everything from salads to roasted veggies. You only need 6 simple ingredients, and it's freezer friendly.
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I called this a recipe a pesto salad dressing, but it's so much more than a salad dressing. I love it on roasted artichokes (my ultimate favorite), steamed veggies and even as a luscious, creamy dip for crudites and crackers.
Check out my other suggestions below for creative ways you can use this pesto salad dressing to add a bold hit of flavor to many of your favorite dishes.
If you want to use this pesto dressing on pasta salad, check out my pesto orzo pasta.
Top Tip: If you're looking for a collection of awesome vegan salads, you might want to check out my 53 Luscious Vegan Salad Recipes!
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
✅It's dairy free, gluten free and vegan. You can swap the pine nuts out for sunflower seeds if you need a nut free pesto.
✅6 ingredients, one bowl and 5 minutes of your time. What's not to love?
✅You can easily make a double batch, as I do, and freeze it in an ice cube tray. Then, when you need a bit of flavor, simply reach for one cube of pesto dressing.
✅Have children? Here's a proven way to make fresh veggies more inviting. Just drizzle a bit over the top of those veggies and watch them disappear.
Ingredients
- Basil: Basil is the primary ingredient in this basil pesto dressing. Be sure to buy fresh basil. You'll need a cup, firmly packed.
- Olive Oil: Because this is a salad dressing, I recommend choosing the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford. It really makes a difference to the taste.
- Garlic: We'll be using 2 cloves of fresh garlic. If you find the taste of garlic too assertive, reduce this amount to 1 clove.
- Salt & Pepper: I've written this recipe using ½ teaspoon of salt. If this is too much for your diet, simply cut it in half. This recipe uses no Parmesan cheese, so I think the salt beefs it up a bit. Don't skip the pepper. That background zing is essential.
- Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons of lemon juice equals the juice of one lemon. Always use fresh lemon juice in recipes with minimal ingredients. The bottled variety doesn't have anywhere near the same zesty freshness as juice straight from a real lemon. If you want to, you can make this a pesto vinaigrette, by substituting the lemon juice with white wine vinegar.
- Pine Nuts: The addition of pine nuts is what gives this recipe it's creaminess. If you have a nut allergy you can omit them though. Your dressing will still taste good, it will just be a bit thinner. You could also use sunflower seeds, as I have with this pesto recipe.
How To Make Pesto Salad Dressing
- Add your basil, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice to a food processor. Blitz until well blended. You may need to scrape the sides down a few times to ensure that everything is well blended.
- Now, pour olive oil slowly through the chute on the food processor. Blend until you have a smooth creamy dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. If you like a more pronounced citrus flavor, add more lemon juice.
Serving Suggestions
Pesto salad dressing is thinner than pure pesto, but still thick enough to be creamy and substantial.
🧡Drizzle it on a pizza for a flavor boost.
🧡Use it as a tofu marinade.
🧡Use it as a topping for a baked potato.
🧡It's creamy enough to add to your next veggie charcuterie board as a dip. Pile your board high with bread, crackers and crudites.
🧡Serve as a dressing on your next pasta salad.
🧡Kick your potato salad up a notch with a hit of pesto salad dressing.
🧡Use it as a spread on sandwiches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can freeze pesto. The best way is to decant the pesto from the jar into ice cube trays. Freeze for two hours, or until the pesto is solid. Remove from the tray and transfer to a freezer safe container or bag. The pesto should stay fresh for up to 6 months.
Most of the a fat in pesto is monosaturated, which means your getting healthy fats that keep you full for longer. But, if the pesto you purchase includes Parmesan cheese (many do), you will get some saturated fats. Check the sodium content of any store bought pesto. Some brands can be quite high. Overall, pesto is healthy, but it's fairly high calorie, so use it in moderation.
Stored in the fridge, pesto doesn't last very long. But, it's freezer friendly, so put leftovers into an ice cube tray, freeze for 2 hours and then transfer the frozen pesto cubes to a freezer safe bag. They should stay fresh for up to 6 months.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
Korean Cucumber Salad - Oi Muchim 오이무침
Vegan Couscous Salad With Pomegranate
Cheesecake Factory Wellness Salad - Copycat Recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Pesto Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1½ cup basil leaves packed
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the basil, garlic, pine nuts and lemon juice to a food processor. Blitz until well blended.
- Now, pour olive oil slowly through the chute on the food processor. Blend until you have a smooth creamy dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Store in a clean glass jar in the fridge.
Notes
- Stored in the fridge, pesto doesn't last very long. But, it's freezer friendly, so put leftovers into an ice cube tray, freeze for 2 hours and then transfer the frozen pesto cubes to a freezer safe bag. They should stay fresh for up to 6 months.
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