Dairy Free Ginger Cilantro Lime Pesto
Bright, herby, and punchy with citrus, this vibrant pesto is a serious upgrade from the classic basil version — and it comes together in minutes with just a blender or food processor. Traditional pesto almost always calls for parmesan and sometimes even butter, but this one skips the dairy entirely without sacrificing any of the richness or depth you'd expect. The olive oil does all the heavy lifting here, emulsifying with the cilantro, parsley, and lime juice into a silky, jewel-green sauce that clings beautifully to pasta, grilled proteins, or roasted vegetables. A double hit of ginger — both ground and freshly grated — gives it a subtle warmth that plays off the bright lime zest in the best possible way. The garlic adds just enough bite to keep things interesting, while the parsley softens the cilantro's boldness so the whole thing feels balanced rather than overpowering. Toss it with noodles, spoon it over fish tacos, swirl it into grain bowls, or use it as a dipping sauce — honestly, it's hard to find something it doesn't improve. Keep a jar in the fridge and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the cilantro, parsley, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, salt, ground ginger, and fresh ginger (if using) to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
- 2
Pulse 8–10 times until the herbs and garlic are roughly chopped and the mixture begins to come together.
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