Soy Free Garlic Ginger Fresh Herb Pesto

Total time10 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time0 min

5.0

(14)

This vibrant, herb-forward pesto brings together fresh basil, flat-leaf parsley, garlic, and a bright hit of ginger for a sauce that feels both familiar and genuinely exciting. Sunflower seeds stand in for the traditional pine nuts, adding a mild, buttery richness that blends beautifully with creamy fresh ricotta and good extra-virgin olive oil. The result is a pesto that's lush and cohesive but still has just enough texture to make it interesting on pasta, crostini, grilled vegetables, or a simple grain bowl. Store-bought pestos can be a minefield of hidden additives and soy-derived emulsifiers, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's going in the jar. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting here — a few pulses and a steady pour of olive oil is really all it takes. Make a batch, press plastic wrap right onto the surface to keep it fresh, and you've got a versatile, flavor-packed sauce ready to go all week or stashed in the freezer for whenever inspiration strikes.

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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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