Walnut Free Ginger Cilantro Lime Pesto
This vibrant, herb-forward pesto skips the nuts entirely and leans on fresh cilantro, parsley, garlic, and a generous hit of lime to deliver something bold and genuinely exciting. The combination of ground ginger and freshly grated ginger gives it a warm, slightly spicy backbone that makes it taste far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. A slow stream of extra-virgin olive oil blended in while the food processor runs is what transforms those bright, chopped herbs into a silky, vivid green sauce. Traditional pesto recipes almost always call for pine nuts or walnuts, so this version is a real find for anyone who needs to avoid tree nuts without sacrificing that punchy, fresh-from-the-garden flavor. It comes together in minutes and the result is incredibly versatile — spoon it over grilled fish, toss it with noodles, swirl it into soup, or use it as a dipping sauce for flatbread. Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge and it stays bright and delicious for days.
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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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