I have been making this delicious and creamy macadamia nut pesto for several years now. It is one of my favorite recipes. This pesto is also naturally gluten free, dairy free and the perfect addition to pizza, pasta and sandwiches. It also makes for an amazing dipping sauce or base for a salad dressing. As you can see, it’s super versatile!
I have always loved pesto but my obsession really began last year when I went low histamine (more information on that here) and had to eliminate tomatoes. Pesto is an amazing swap when it comes to pasta and pizza, so that I can still enjoy the foods I love! I always joke that I am currently made up of 99% pesto. I have also found that homemade pesto is much better than store bought and it is surprisingly quick and easy to make!
Why You’ll Love This Macadamia Nut Pesto
It’s allergy-friendly.
It’s really easy to make!
This recipe is very easy to store.
It goes well on a variety of foods from pizza to pasta to sandwiches.
Equipment Needed
All you need for this recipe is a high-speed blender. I have been loving this Beast Blender and it is a reasonably priced option!
Ingredients Needed to Make Macadamia Nut Pesto
Arugula: Arugula is my favorite green to use in this recipe, but you can also use kale!
Garlic: Fresh garlic is definitely best here, but if you do not have any on hand, you can swap it out for garlic powder.
Basil: Is it just me or does basil turn brown in literally one day?! I highly recommend purchasing your basil and using it right away for the freshest pesto.
Macadamia Nuts: I love the Royal Hawaiian brand and I get them on Thrive Market along with many of my other favorite staples. If you use my link, you will get 40% off your first order.
Olive Oil: Finding a high quality olive oil is super important. I always look for organic olive oil and I also look for the California Olive Oil Council seal. This means it has passed the most stringent testing. You can read more about it here.
Salt: My favorite salt is Redmond’s Real Salt. You can order some here and get 15% off with code LESSWITHLAUR.
Lemon: This is optional, but adds freshness!
How To Make This Delicious Pesto
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender. That’s it! Super simple.
Substitutions and Variations
This creamy macadamia nut pesto recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegan. You can make it nut free by swapping the macadamia nuts out with a seed, such as pumpkin seeds. This would change the flavor of the pesto, but I always like to offer allergy-friendly adaptations. You an also swap the arugula for kale or spinach if you prefer!
Storage
You can store this creamy pesto in the fridge for up to 5 days. I also recommend freezing it into cubes for easy access!
Related Recipes:
Make sure to try these other meal prep ideas next:
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Buffalo Chicken Bake
Blueberry Chicken Hazelnut Salad
Blueberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Bake
Creamy Macadamia Nut Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup basil
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- Dash salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
- Store in fridge for up to 5 days or freeze.
First time making this & it was super easy! Took 2 minutes to make and I froze leftovers to use with other meals. I could have licked my bowl it was so good! Simply add to grilled chicken and gluten free pasta. Definitely something I could add to at least one meal a day. Thank you for this creation! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
This tastes very yummy and creamy! Thanks for sharing.
of course!