Xanthan Gum Free Garlic Ginger Fresh Herb Pesto
This vibrant, herb-forward pesto gets a lively twist from fresh ginger and a creamy lift from ricotta, making it feel both familiar and completely unexpected. Every ingredient is whole and recognizable — fresh basil, parsley, garlic, sunflower seeds, olive oil — with absolutely nothing processed or stabilized hiding in the mix. That matters a lot when you're avoiding thickeners and gums, because so many store-bought pestos and even some homemade recipes sneak in additives to hold their texture together. Here, the ricotta and olive oil do that work naturally, creating a sauce that's smooth, cohesive, and rich without any help from stabilizers. The sunflower seeds bring a subtle nuttiness and a little body, making this a great option if pine nuts aren't your thing or aren't on hand. A quick blitz in the food processor is all it takes, and the result is something you'll want to spread on everything from pasta to crusty bread to roasted vegetables. Make a batch, freeze it in small portions, and you've got a clean, flavorful sauce ready to go whenever you need it.
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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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