This Whole30 pesto sauce is going to change your foodie world and you won’t even miss the parmesan cheese.
I am constantly looking for ways to revamp my favorite foods and make them Whole30 compliant. I couldn’t imagine pesto without the cheese but I discovered a secret ingredient that I had never hear of before. Nutritional yeast!
What the heck is Nutritional Yeast? {affiliate link} I don’t know but it adds some awesome flavor to my Whole30 pesto sauce and it will definitely be added to future recipes too. Just Google it for the scientific definition but I will tell you it has a good, nutty, cheesy flavor and it is on the Whole30 compliant list. Score! (Bonus, I found it in my regular grocery store in the health food aisle.)
Whole30 Pesto Sauce Ingredients
- 3 cups of green leafy veggies (I bought a bag of mixed kale, spinach and chard greens)
- 2 cups of basil
- 1 cup of walnuts
- 1/3 cup of pine nuts (I toasted them)
- 3/4 cup of olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp of salt
- 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
Directions for Whole30 Pesto Sauce
- Add walnuts and toasted pine nuts to a food processor and top with the leafy greens and basil. Pulse to break everything up.
- Add salt, garlic and nutritional yeast. Pulse a few more times to create a paste.
- Turn food processor on high and slowly drizzle in olive oil until you have a creamy paste.
- Store and refrigerate in a covered container and use generously on meat and veggies. (I put mine in a mason jar.)
When I am not being Whole30 compliant I would put this pesto on caprese salad, garlic bread, roasted veggies, pasta, fish or chicken. But since I am trying to eat healthy and follow the Whole30 plan I have added it to my zoodles and shrimp and my roasted chicken…..so far.
Here is a chicken breast topped with pesto, tomatoes and sprinkled with nutritional yeast. It was over the top delicious for dinner and I used the leftovers to top my salad for lunch the next day. Amazing!
You can find my other Whole30 recipes here but make sure you try the cauliflower fried rice or the stuffed green pepper soup.
