Easy Sunflower Seed Pesto

Sunflower seed pesto in a large white bowl.

Looking for a substitute for pine nuts in pesto? This quick and easy sunflower seed pesto is the answer. Creamy, flavorful, and totally nut free – perfect for meal prep, pasta, or spreading on sandwiches.

Course sauce

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword basil pesto with sunflower seeds, sunflower seed basil pesto, sunflower seed pesto

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 13

Servings

Calories 125kcal

Author Samantha Rowland

Equipment

food processor or high speed blender

Ingredients

¼ cup sunflower seeds raw if possible
1 cup basil tightly packed
2-3 cloves garlic finely grated
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium lemon, juiced
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup baby spinach

Instructions

Add the sunflower seeds to a medium skillet and put over medium heat. Toast sunflower seeds a total of 7-8 minutes. After 3-4 minutes, you will notice they start to get some color on them. Stir regularly once you notice this and cook 3-4 more minutes until fragrant and toasted in color. Take off heat immediately.
Note these can go from toasted to burned quickly, so don't walk away as they are toasting.
¼ cup sunflower seeds
While the sunflower seeds are toasting: Add add the basil, grated garlic (or finely minced), extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic powder to a food processor.
Blend until the basil is broken down (about 1 minute).
1 cup basil, 2-3 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium lemon, juiced, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
When sunflower seeds are done, add them to the food processor and blend again until the mixture is smooth. (1-2 minutes, stop and scrape down the sides when needed).
¼ cup sunflower seeds
Add the baby spinach to the food processor and process again until fully broken down and smooth (1-2 minutes).
1 cup baby spinach

Video

Notes

Tips for success

Short on time? Use roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds to skip the toasting step.
Using salted sunflower seeds? Wait to add the salt until after blending to avoid an overly salty pesto.
Grate the garlic on a microplane or finely chop the garlic before adding it to the food processor.
Garlic too strong? Add a tiny drizzle of honey or maple syrup to mellow out the sharpness from the fresh garlic.
Too thick? Thin the pesto with olive oil or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it’s just right.
Want to keep it vibrant green? Pesto naturally darkens in the fridge due to oxidation. To help prevent this:
- Press a piece of plastic wrap or parchment directly onto the surface, or
- Add a thin layer of olive oil over the top before sealing.

Variations/substitutions

No sunflower seeds? Use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or hemp hearts
Don't have baby spinach? Use arugula or kale (be sure to remove the thick stems from the kale).
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to give it some heat
Add parmesan cheese (regular or dairy free) for a cheesy kick

Storing leftovers

Fridge: Store leftover pesto in the fridge for up to 5 days. See tips above on how to keep it bright green.

Freezer: Freeze pesto for up to 6 months in a freezer safe bag or container.

Freeze the pesto in ice cube trays (for 1-2 tablespoons at a time) or in large batches (I recommend using Soupercubes for this). Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe bag for up to 6 months.
- To prevent oxidation: add a very thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto before freezing. When defrosting the olive oil will just melt in with the rest of the ingredients.
Defrost pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for the best color.

Nutrition