Avocado Basil Pesto
on Jan 20, 2025, Updated Apr 03, 2025
Avocado Basil Pesto is a lightened-up variation of the classic pesto where avocado is added to the recipe. Make it using essential ingredients in 5 minutes.
Here are some more homemade sauce recipes you can try at home: Bechamel Sauce, Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce, Garlic Parmesan Sauce, and Basil Walnut Pesto.
2-3 years back, avocadoes were super super expensive in India. I remember buying 1 piece for as much as 500 rs. Bhavye loved them, and so we indulged in them occasionally, but my heart ached everytime I paid that amount. Now, with India growing their own avocadoes, and that too of very high quality, we eat them mostly every day.
This pesto made using avocado and basil has become one of my favorite dips to make when I have guests at home. Avocado pesto is super versatile. I serve it with nachos, breadsticks, and chips for snacks. You can use it to toss cooked pasta, slather it on sandwiches, rolls, or burritos, or use it as a salad dressing.
About Avocado Basil Pesto
Avocado Basil Pesto is a delicious condiment that is super versatile. It is the lightened-up version of the classic pesto, and this super versatile sauce comes together in under 5 minutes.
Pesto is a luscious Italian sauce made using fresh basil leaves, nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and parmesan cheese, and it is served as a sauce with pasta or dip. Pesto originated in Italy, and its name is derived from the word ‘Pesta,’ which translates as ‘to pound’ or ‘to crush.’
Avocado Pesto is a delicious variation of classic pesto. Its main ingredients are ripe avocado, basil leaves, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese.
It is prominently used in Italian cuisine and adds a fantastic flavor to Italian recipes.
This avocado pesto sauce recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. It can also be easily made dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan by making simple alterations to the main recipe.
Ingredients
Avocado – Use good quality ripe avocado to make the pesto. If it’s not fully ripe, the pesto will taste bitter.
Basil – Fresh Italian basil leaves add authentic pesto flavor to this recipe. I have used basil, but you can also use other greens like spinach, kale, or arugula.
Walnuts add a nutty taste to this pesto. You can replace walnuts with pine nuts, almonds, pistachios, or cashew nuts.
Garlic adds a flavor that no ingredient can match.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil.
Parmesan Cheese – It gives a pleasant umami taste to the avocado pesto.
To make a vegan avocado pesto recipe, replace parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast.
Salt & Pepper – Spice it with pepper and salt for added taste. You can also add lemon juice and zest for a tangy kick to the pesto.
Add some red pepper flakes or chopped Thai red chilies for a spicy kick.
How To Make Avocado Pesto
Start by cleaning the Italian basil. Remove the leaves from the stems and discard them. You will need one packed cup of basil leaves. Rinse the leaves with water and drain well.
You can use a salad spinner to get rid of extra water.
Cut one avocado in half and discard the seed. Using a spoon, remove the flesh and add it to a medium-sized blender jar. Discard the skin.
Add the following ingredients to the blender jar.
- 1 cup Italian basil leaves
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2-3 peeled cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Blend to make a slightly coarse paste. Scrap the sides of the jar once while blending.
Transfer the avocado basil pesto to an airtight container and drizzle a layer of olive oil to prevent it from turning black from oxidation.
Secure the lid and refrigerate. Use as required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people face the problem of choosing the perfect avocado and end up with raw avocados that are not fit to eat.
To check if the avocado is ripe and ready to eat, gently squeeze it in the palm of your hand. A ripe avocado should yield slightly to gentle pressure. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, which can bruise the fruit.
For most avocado varieties, a ripe avocado should be dark, almost black. However, the exact color can vary depending on the type of avocado. Hass avocados, for example, will turn dark purple or black when ripe.
Place the unripe avocado in a paper bag with a banana or apple. These fruits produce ethylene gas, a natural ripening agent. The paper bag traps the gas and speeds up the ripening process, which may take anywhere from 24 hours to a couple of days. Check the avocado regularly to monitor its ripeness.
You can use roasted sunflower seeds instead of nuts to make nut-free pesto.
Storage Suggestions
You can store this avocado basil pesto in an airtight container for about a week. To prevent it from turning black, pour some water or a thin layer of olive oil over it. Drain the water before serving.
If you want to increase the shelf life of homemade pesto, you can freeze it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
The best way to freeze it is in an ice cube tray, and then you can store the pesto cubes in plastic freezer bags for about 6 months.
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Avocado Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 cup fresh Italian basil (packed, rinsed and drained well)
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cut the avocado into half and discard the seed. Take out the flesh using a spoon and add it to a medium sized blender jar. Discard the skin.
- Add basil leaves, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and parmesan cheese to the blender jar.
- Blend to make a slightly coarse paste. Scrap the sides of the jar once while blending.
- Transfer the pesto to an airtight container and drizzle a layer of olive oil to prevent it from turning black from oxidation. Secure the lid and refrigerate. Use as required.
Please keep posting! I love your delicious postings and recipes. Thank you, Very Much! John