Beef Free Garlic Ginger Fresh Herb Pesto
This vibrant, herb-forward pesto is a serious upgrade from anything you'd find in a jar at the grocery store. Fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley form the green, fragrant backbone, while garlic and ginger bring a warm, slightly spicy kick that makes the whole thing feel alive. Sunflower seeds stand in for the more traditional pine nuts, adding a subtle nuttiness and creamy body, and a scoop of fresh ricotta gives it a lush, velvety finish that clings beautifully to pasta, grilled vegetables, or crusty bread. The food processor does all the heavy lifting, so you're looking at just a few minutes of hands-on effort from start to finish. Everything in this recipe is naturally plant- and dairy-based with zero meat involved, so it fits effortlessly into a beef-free kitchen without any substitutions or workarounds required. Make a batch on the weekend and stash it in the freezer in small portions — it thaws quickly and instantly elevates a weeknight meal.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup fresh ricotta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Add the basil, parsley, garlic, and ginger to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the herbs are roughly broken down and the garlic and ginger are finely chopped.
- 2
Add the sunflower seeds and fresh ricotta. Pulse another 6–8 times until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture looks evenly combined but still has some texture.
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