Nightshade Free Garlic Parsley Fresh Pesto
Bright, herby, and deeply savory, this parsley pesto is a brilliant twist on the classic that skips tomatoes and peppers entirely — making it a natural fit for anyone avoiding nightshades without sacrificing any of the bold, garden-fresh flavor you'd expect from a great pesto. Flat-leaf parsley does the heavy lifting here, bringing a clean, slightly peppery bite that pairs beautifully with toasted pine nuts and two cloves of garlic. The real surprise is the fresh ricotta, which gives the pesto a creamy, almost pillowy body that sets it apart from your standard olive-oil-and-basil blends. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big — it deepens their flavor and adds a subtle nuttiness that makes the whole sauce feel more complex. Everything comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, so you're not standing over a mortar and pestle for twenty minutes. Spread it over grilled chicken, toss it with pasta, swirl it into scrambled eggs, or use it as a dip — this pesto is endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ⅓ cup fresh ricotta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer immediately to a plate and let cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Add the garlic cloves to the food processor and pulse 5–6 times until coarsely chopped.
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