Pesto can be made without nuts by adjusting the proportions of other ingredients or substituting with seeds or breadcrumbs. A nut-free pesto is still pesto, and can be thin in texture. Pistou is a garlic and basil sauce from France that is often nut-free. Sunflower seeds or breadcrumbs can be used as substitutes for nuts.
While perhaps not strictly “traditional,” it’s entirely possible to make pesto without nuts. Leaving out the nuts completely usually works well, although you may need to adjust the proportions of the other ingredients to make sure you’re getting the right texture. You can also substitute seeds, especially sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, or add breadcrumbs instead of nuts.
Pine nuts are a staple ingredient in traditional basil pesto, adding both a nutty flavor and sticky quality. The basic pesto is little more than pine nuts, garlic, grated parmesan and fresh basil leaves. There are many types of pesto. In Italian, the word “pesto” simply means “pounded,” referring to the way the sauce is most frequently prepared. The ground pine nuts add volume to the finished pesto, but aren’t necessary.
Many pesto varieties omit the pine nuts. Most contain nuts of some kind — nuts are a common substitution — but not all do. A pesto without nuts is still pesto, even if all it contains is basil, oil, and cheese. It’s the process and overall flavor that characterizes the spread, not its specific ingredients.
Similarly, a nut-free pesto will have a different texture, often thin and sometimes a little runny. If you’re hoping to spread the finished pesto without nuts, rather than just drizzling it over pasta or in a soup, you may need to work with the proportions of the other ingredients. Usually, reducing the oil and increasing the cheese will make up for the lack of nuts.
Nutless pesto made this way is often known as pistou. Pistou is a garlic and basil sauce originating from the south of France, often referred to as “French pesto”. The simplest version of this dish consists of just basil, garlic, olive oil, and sea salt. Chefs often add more – tomatoes are common additions, as are various cheeses – but nuts are rare.
You can usually preserve the texture and feel of Italian pesto by substituting some other similar substance for the nuts. Sunflower seeds are a common place to start. These seeds aren’t always suitable for people with nut allergies, but they have a similar texture to pine nuts and produce a very spread-like texture. They are also usually much less expensive than pine nuts.
Making pesto with pumpkin seeds is another option, although the taste is likely to be quite different. Some cooks also substitute bread crumbs or crushed crackers for nuts. This adds volume, but can dry out the spread if used to excess. Making nut-free pesto is usually a matter of texture and taste.
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