Store-bought pesto sauces are loaded with fat, but this Quick and Easy Oil Free Pesto sauce has a lot less fat, and doesn't compromise on taste. The delicious freshness of the basil and nuttiness of the pine nuts is balanced by the sweetness of the tomatoes and peppery notes from the arugula. When comparing this Quick and Easy Oil Free Pesto to store-bought, the calorie density is eye-opening! This pesto is about 50 calories for ¼ cup, compared to store-bought, which can vary between 230 to 260 calories for the same ¼ cup amount. Geez!
There's so much you can do with this pesto sauce. It can be used as a sauce base for Veggie Pizza for One, veggie wrap, or a sauce topping for Buddha bowl, tofu scramble, or grilled veggies.
Quick and Easy Oil Free Pesto has 6 key ingredients
- Arugula
- Basil leaves
- Tomato (cherry or Roma)
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Pine nuts
Even with the addition of tomatoes, this sauce still turns out green. You see, tomatoes are the primary replacement for olive oil in this pesto, giving it that saucy consistency. Also, quick warming of the pine nuts helps bring out the flavor. Enjoy!
— Gigi
Time needed: 10 minutes.
How to make this healthy Quick and Easy Oil Free Pesto:
- Preheat a small dry skillet over medium heat
- Add ¼ cup of pine nuts to the hot dry skillet and warm for 60 to 90 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Measure 1 cup fresh basil
- Measure 1 cup of fresh (preferably) baby arugula
- Halve about 4 to 5 cherry tomatoes (or roughly chop ½ Roma tomato)
- Roughly chop 1 clove of garlic
- Measure 1 Tbsp of lemon juice and 2 Tbsp of water
- Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Salt to taste
Quick and Easy Oil Free Pesto
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
¼ cup pine nuts
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup arugula
4 to 5 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or ½ Roma tomato
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp water
Salt to taste
Instructions
Preheat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts to the pan to toast slightly, about 60 to 90 seconds.
Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Prep Time: 9 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute
- Category: Sauces
Keywords: arugula, basil, pesto, vegan, garlic, tomato, lemon juice, pine nuts, soy free, gluten free, daniel fast compliant, daniel fast recipes
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