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Home Recipes Sauces & Dressings Avocado Pesto Recipe

Avocado Pesto Recipe

by Jennifer Debth May 28, 2020
28 Comments
5 from 8 votes
JUMP TO RECIPE
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

This Avocado Pesto Recipe takes just 5 minutes to throw together and is vegan, gluten-free, AND oil-free! It’s packed with fresh herbs, roasted pistachios, creamy avocado, and more!

Jar of avocado pesto held

Quick Navigation
  • General
  • Ingredients
  • How to make
  • Get the recipe
  • Step-by-step video
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Is pesto healthy?
  • Dried vs fresh basil
  • Hot or cold?
  • Variations
  • Pairing suggestions
  • How to store
  • Nutrition information

The first time I tried avocado pesto, I was at a friend’s house for dinner. They were serving pork chops with pesto and zoodles. Um, yum! The pesto was soooooo creamy and I needed to know why. I was BLOWN AWAY when they informed me that the pesto was made with avocado. What?!

Creamy, fresh, and delicious FLAVOR BOMB? Yeah, I knew I needed to make my own avocado pesto recipe immediately.

Ingredients

I love using a combination of fresh herbs in pesto. You’re not just limited to the classic basil!

  • Basil and Cilantro – the perfect blend of herbs for this recipe. Both are so fresh and add such different flavors. Feel free to use parsley or all basil if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
  • Garlic – adds a nice nutty taste.
  • Pistachios – I used roasted and salted pistachios.
  • Avocado – makes the pesto extra creamy and allows us to keep this recipe oil free.
  • Lemon Juice – provides the pesto with a bit of tanginess.
  • Nutritional Yeast – gives the pesto that salty “cheesy” flavor like parmesan does, just without the cheese!
  • Water – more or less depending on your preferred thickness.
  • Salt – more or less to taste. I like more. 😉
Pro tip
I LOVE bulking up my pesto with an herb other than basil. Where I live, basil is $4 for a tiny pack whereas I can get a huge bunch of cilantro for under a dollar!

How to make

  1. Place all your ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth!avocado pesto ingredients in food processor
  2. Serve and enjoy!Blended avocado pesto in food processor spoonful being taken out
Pro tip
You could also use a high powered blender, like a Vitamix, but it’s harder to scrape out, because the base is so narrow, which is why I prefer using a food processor.

Is pesto healthy?

This avocado pesto recipe is definitely healthy! This is a lightened up version of a classic that’s packed healthy fats and fresh herbs. No oil, no cheese, but plenty of flavor!

1/4th of the entire recipe has only has 124 calories, 9 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of protein.

Traditional pesto is made quite a bit of oil and parmesan cheese. So it’s not the worst thing ever, but not the healthiest thing ever either, which is why I LOVE this avocado pesto.

Can you use dried basil instead of fresh basil?

I don’t recommend using dried basil for fresh basil. It won’t create the same flavor or texture. If you can’t find basil or it’s too expensive, simply replace with equal parts cilantro, parsley, spinach, or even kale! You’ll likely need to play around with the seasonings.

Then, if you’d like to add in a little dried basil for flavor, that’s fine.

Do you eat pesto hot or cold?

Pesto is great hot or cold. It depends on what you eat it with. Serve it cold on a fresh green salad or hot on a bowl of pasta with roasted veggies. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

  • Pesto pasta salad (cold)
  • Pesto pizza (hot)
  • Pesto risotto (hot)

Jar of avocado pesto next to half avocado above

Variations

You can use just about anything in pesto as long as you have an herb, a nut, and a fat!

  • Herbs. Try parsley, less or more cilantro, or less or more basil. You can even try spinach, kale, arugula, or mint. The flavor will be different but they’re all so good.
  • Nuts. Try toasted walnuts, pine nuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, etc.
  • Citrus. Use lime juice instead of lemon!
  • Nutritional yeast. If you’re not vegan, feel free to use parmesan cheese.
  • Fat. If you’d like to bulk up your pesto even more, try adding in a few swigs of extra virgin olive oil.

If you want to experiment with different pestos, try out these recipes: basil pesto, cilantro pesto, pistachio pesto, arugula walnut pesto!

What to serve with avocado pesto

I LOVE this avocado pesto served over a bed of zoodles (zucchini noodles) or regular pasta, but it’s really good with anything. 😉

Here are some of my all time favorite recipes to serve with this healthy avocado pesto sauce!

  • Pesto Pasta Salad
  • Pesto Risotto with Roasted Chicken and Veggies
  • Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich
  • Portobello Mushroom Burger
  • Homemade Pizza
  • Grilled Shrimp
  • Roasted Veggies

It’s also delicious on grilled chicken, pork chops, and even mixed into mashed potatoes!

Avocado pesto on zoodles

How to store

Store this avocado pesto in a mason jar or an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Pro tip
If freezing, store in ice cube trays to thaw and serve later!

Jar of avocado pesto

Creamy, fresh, and healthy deliciousness! Eat up!

– Jennifer

Avocado Pesto Recipe

5 from 8 votes
This Avocado Pesto Recipe takes just 5 minutes to throw together and is vegan, gluten-free, AND oil-free! It's packed with fresh herbs, roasted pistachios, creamy avocado, and more!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Yield: 4 people
Print Pin Rate Recipe

Equipment for this recipe

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves about 2 (3/4 oz) packages
  • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup roasted salted pistachios
  • 1 (5 1/2 oz) avocado
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoons water or more if you want a thinner consistency
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon)

Recipe Video

Instructions

  • Place basil, cilantro, garlic, pistachios, avocado, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, water, and salt into a high powered food processor.
  • Process together until well combined.
  • Taste and re-season and enjoy!
  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
Rate This Recipe
STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-4 Days
Freezer:3 Months
Reheat:Thaw, then heat with your favorite dish
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Notes

*I served these with "zoodles" that I just cooked in a preheated skillet until tender. Throw them in a colander after they're cooked if you want to drain them.

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Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Avocado Pesto Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 124 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 151mg7%
Potassium 377mg11%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 675IU14%
Vitamin C 12.9mg16%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 0.9mg5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: avocado sauce, gluten free, oil free, vegan
Enjoy this recipe?
Tag @showmetheyummy on Instagram and hashtag it #showmetheyummy
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Author: Jennifer Debth

This post was originally published June 5, 2017 and has been updated to provide more detailed content.

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Healthy, Recipes, Sauces & Dressings, Vegan, Vegetarian

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  1. Sheena

    Short Hills, New Jersey

    May 12, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    5 stars DELICIOUS. My husband is rattling off all the ways he is going to use this pesto. Really wonderful and very easy – thank you!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      May 13, 2022 at 7:22 am

      Yay!! Thanks Sheena!
  2. Faye

    Lutherville, Maryland

    March 16, 2021 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars Super yummy love that its oil free also
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      March 16, 2021 at 8:53 pm

      Thank you, Faye!! 🙂
  3. Brit

    Alpharetta, Georgia

    December 1, 2020 at 9:04 pm

    5 stars I substituted spinach for basil and pistachios for cashews and I still loved this recipe! I went a little heave on the nutritional yeast because I’m a big fan. I used it with pasta & shrimp, on sandwiches and as a dip. It made everything delicious!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      December 2, 2020 at 9:23 am

      Yum! Glad the substitutions worked out for you. Thanks, Brit! 🙂
  4. Anonymous

    Beirut, Beyrouth

    November 18, 2020 at 11:13 am

    5 stars
    Reply
  5. Anonymous

    The Bronx, New York

    August 27, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    Reply
  6. DaviD

    Frederick, Maryland

    July 8, 2020 at 8:42 am

    5 stars Very delicious. I use in some recipes Where avocados are
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      July 8, 2020 at 10:42 am

      Thanks so much!
  7. Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

    September 24, 2018 at 6:13 am

    That’s amazing, thanks 🙂
    Reply
  8. Tammy

    September 22, 2018 at 9:53 am

    5 stars This pesto is delicious and perfect to use as a dip for lightly salted sweet potato fries. Both vegans and non-vegans, kids and adults can’t seem to get enough.
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      September 24, 2018 at 6:13 am

      Thank you so much Tammy! 🙂
  9. Eliza

    August 12, 2017 at 10:19 am

    What brand of nutritional yeast do you use?
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      August 12, 2017 at 10:39 am

      LOVE Bob’s Red Mill!
  10. Amanda

    August 11, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    How long do you think this would stay good for in the fridge?
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      August 12, 2017 at 10:39 am

      Probably a week 🙂
  11. Shirlene

    June 9, 2017 at 1:22 pm

    Looks yummy, thank you!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      June 12, 2017 at 8:22 am

      Thanks so much! Enjoy!
  12. Julia

    June 6, 2017 at 8:50 am

    I love avocado and pesto so this is a must try recipe! Thanks for the inspiration!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      June 7, 2017 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks Julia!
  13. Aggie

    June 6, 2017 at 5:44 am

    You had me at avocado pesto 🙂 This looks delicious!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      June 7, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      Thanks Aggie! 🙂
  14. sue

    June 5, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    The color of that pesto is mesmerizing ~ so many pretty green ingredients packed in there!
    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy

      June 7, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      Aww thank you! 🙂

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