Last Updated on January 4, 2026
An Easy Recipe for Nut-Free Pesto or Pistou.
Skip straight to my Nut-Free Pesto Recipe recipe.
Shopping list – to make this Nut-Free Pesto, you will need:
- Fresh Basil
- Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese (or the veggie equivalent if necessary)
- Good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
Why am I making pesto? Well, it’s the time of year when my garden seems to rebel against all the careful planning I put in during Spring. I have a full maternity ward of greenish tomatoes, which appear to be heading for delivery at the same time. I have a marrow plant which, like some seedy London nightclub on a Friday night, has male flowers queuing up but not a single woman. And, I have basil overwhelming my herb pot, shading the sun-loving rosemary – so what better than fresh basil pesto. Pesto is a great way to use up a surplus of basil (or for that matter any other appropriate soft herb), especially as it can be frozen and used through the winter and this recipe for a nut-free pesto means that I have no need for the one ingredient I don’t generally have in my store cupboard (pine nuts). Apparently, nut-free pesto is standard across Italy, except in Liguria and in France, it is known as Pistou and also generally made without nuts.
All you need for nut-free pesto is fresh basil, Parmesan or pecorino cheese, good quality extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Oh, and if, like me, you don’t often use a food processor or you prefer to make your pesto by hand, the traditional Italian way, then you need a large pestle and mortar too. The point of using the pestle and mortar is that you are much more in control of how your pesto is prepared. At least in my heart, crushing the basil leaves gently will release a subtler, delicate flavour. And, the texture of a hand-prepared pesto is quite different.
Lighter than the traditional Ligurian pesto I learnt to make at the World Pesto Championships a couple of years ago, nut-free pesto makes the perfect complement for summer pasta dishes, as a topping for a home-made burger, for tomato bakes or, as I did last night, as a sauce to bake fish in the oven. If you do want to make a traditional basil pesto, the method is almost the same; you simply add the pine nuts and garlic at the start of the process.
Nut-free pesto is ultra easy to make, and, of course, you can use a pestle and mortar or whizz it up in your food processor. I’d recommend trying the pestle-and-mortar option at least once, as your pesto will have a deeper flavour and a better texture. But, if I were making a large quantity, I’d probably give in and use a food processor too, though I’d probably still use a stick or wand blender with a plastic tumbler rather than a ‘put the lot in and press a button’ type. I’ve had the pesto from one of those, and it’s more of a slurry than I like (or perhaps it was overprocessed?).
Here’s what to do.
Nut-Free Pesto
Ingredients
- 70 g (about 3 cups) fresh basil leaves
- 40 g grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
- 40 ml extra virgin olive oil
- pinch salt
- 3 cloves garlic
- squeeze lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Tear the basil into smallish shreds
- Put the peeled garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar with the salt and crush until you have a paste.
- Add the basil leaves in batches, crushing with the pestle until all the leaves are well blended with the garlic and salt and you have a paste.
- Add the grated cheese and mix
- Now pour over a little olive oil and blend well, using the base of the pestle.
- Continue adding olive oil until you have a thick ‘sauce’ of the desired consistency
- Taste and add more salt if necessary and a little lemon juice if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Once you’ve made a batch of pesto, it will keep in the fridge for a week or so. But you can easily freeze it in an ice-cube tray, ready to use throughout the winter. All you need to do, once the pesto is frozen, is pop the cubes out and into a zip-lock bag ,and you have a convenient supply of individual portions of nut-free pesto.
Nut-free pesto is bursting with the flavours of summer, somehow not adding pine nuts creates a really fresh pesto – and it’s a great way to use up that glut of basil.
Thinking of trying my easy no-nut pesto recipe yourself? Why not pin this post for later
Nut-Free Pesto (Pistou) FAQ
What is nut-free pesto (pistou)?
It’s a basil-and-garlic pesto-style sauce made without nuts (no pine nuts). The post also notes that in France a similar sauce is known as pistou.
What ingredients do I need?
You’ll need fresh basil, garlic, grated pecorino or parmesan (or a veggie equivalent), extra virgin olive oil, and salt. A squeeze of lemon juice is optional.
What are the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card?
70 g basil leaves (about 3 cups), 40 g grated pecorino/parmesan, 40 ml extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, 3 garlic cloves, plus optional lemon juice.
Is lemon juice required?
No. Lemon juice is optional and can be added at the end to taste.
Do I need a pestle and mortar?
No. The recipe includes a traditional pestle-and-mortar method and an alternative food processor method.
How do I make it with a pestle and mortar?
Crush garlic with salt into a paste, add basil in batches and pound to a paste, mix in the grated cheese, then gradually work in olive oil until you reach your preferred thick, saucy consistency. Taste, then adjust salt and add optional lemon juice.
How do I make it in a food processor?
Blend everything except the olive oil and lemon juice into a rough paste, then drizzle in the olive oil to the consistency you like. Add lemon juice (optional) and salt to taste.
How much does this recipe make?
The recipe card lists 8 servings.
How long does it take to make?
The recipe card lists 15 minutes total.
How do I store nut-free pesto?
Keep it in the fridge; the post says it will keep for about a week.
Can I freeze it?
Yes—freeze it in an ice-cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a bag so you can defrost small portions as needed.
What can I use nut-free pesto (pistou) for?
The post suggests using it with pasta, as a burger topping, for tomato bakes, or as a sauce for baking fish.
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