This homemade broccoli pesto is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, dairy-free, and made without basil & parmesan cheese. Make this easy sauce in less than 15 minutes at home.
This pesto sauce is so flavorful, freezer-friendly, and a make-ahead recipe. Let see how to make this creamy, vibrant broccoli pesto at home.
The post contains helpful tips and tricks to make a successful recipe on your first attempt. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you want to skip.
In general, authentic pesto contains a good amount of olive oil and cheese. I customized it by eliminating both the ingredients to cut on many calories. Rest ingredients are low-calorie, fiber-rich, and the final pesto sauce is just amazing to consume guilt-free. It fits in a healthy diet beautifully.
Why you will love broccoli pesto
- Healthy– Broccoli is very healthy and fiber-rich. Making sauce is just a new way to eat this green healthy vegetable happily. Moreover, it is far better than storebought pesto in terms of calories in each serving and other nutritional values.
- Easy & quick– This homemade pesto without nuts comes together in less than 15 minutes. Steaming broccoli in the microwave helps in cooking it in just 2 minutes. Blending all ingredients takes less than 2 minutes and voila, easy broccoli pesto is ready.
- Low-carb– The best part of making it at home is to control what to put in. I made it oil-free, and without parmesan cheese, which makes it vegan, low in carbs, and keto-friendly. To replicate the nutty texture, I add sunflower seeds.
Ingredients & notes
Please check the recipe card for the full ingredient list and measurements
Broccoli is the base of my pesto recipe and adding parsley in place of basil (I do not have access to basil leaves easily). This pesto recipe is without basil, nuts, and parmesan cheese.
Microwave steamed broccoli, garlic, parsley, sunflower seeds, lemon juice, salt, & jalapeno are used to make it. In case you need substitutes for parsley, check here.
Variations & Substitutions
- Herbs– Traditionally pesto is prepared using basil leaves. But have fun with using any of the herbs like cilantro, mint, parsley, chives.
- Nuts- Pine nuts are used in general. But almond, cashew, walnut, and pecan also works fine.
- Nut-free– If you like to make pesto without nuts then replace nuts with any seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. OR just remove from the recipe and make without nuts.
- Frozen broccoli– If fresh is not available then frozen broccoli is also good to use. Just thaw it before using it. No need to blanch or steam.
- Parmesan cheese– This is another classic ingredient in traditionally made basil pesto. However, you can replace it with nutritional yeast or just eliminate it from the recipe. Being vegetarian I do not use it or prefer vegan parmesan cheese.
Making pesto at home is really fun and you can make use of vegetables like poblano peppers, cauliflower, butternut squash, and many more.
How to make broccoli pesto
Prepare & steam broccoli
First, cut the broccoli head into small florets and wash them nicely. Rinse it properly. Transfer the florets to a microwaveable bowl and add 2 tbsp water. Microwave them for 2 mins and keep them ready.
Blend & serve
Add steamed broccoli, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, jalapeno, and water to the blender jar. Blend it till you get a smooth paste. Add 2 tbsp of water in case the mixture does not move.
Vegan nut-free broccoli pesto is ready to enjoy. You will not miss anything while consuming this pesto sauce without nuts, basil, and cheese.
Tips & FAQ’s
Traditional pesto sauce has cheese and olive oil which makes it a very calorie-dense food. But this vegan & nut-free pesto you can enjoy guilt-free. For weight loss, you just need to some minor tweaks to any recipe and enjoy.
Definitely, you can blanch broccoli before using it in this recipe. I find the microwave version is faster and hassle-free.
You can make pesto without nuts easily. Replace nuts with any seeds like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds. Or just make the recipe by eliminating the nuts part.
Authentic pesto is prepared using basil. But there are many substitutes for basil that you can use to replace it. Any green leafy herb or vegetable is good to replace basil in pesto.
To make vegan pesto either you can use vegan cheese or nutritional yeast. If both of them are unavailable then simply remove the cheese from the recipe and follow the rest.
You want to make pesto and there is no food processor or blender, don’t worry, you can still make pesto without any of them. First, use mortar n pestle to make it or you can simply chop the ingredients finely and just mix everything in a bowl or jar.
Dried herbs have more concentrated flavors and dried basil is a great substitute for fresh basil. You can use 1 teaspoon dried basil in place of 1 tablespoon fresh basil in pesto.
How to serve
Wonder, what to serve with this broccoli pesto? Serve your favorite veggies, smear on wraps, sandwiches, or drizzle on salads. The best is to make broccoli pesto pasta for easy weeknight dinners.
Make pasta or cold sandwiches, believe me even picky eaters won’t get a clue.
Summer is a grilling season, and adding pesto on grilled fish, salmon, or tofu or vegetables, just made them flavorful. Even salad dressing is easy to make with pesto.
How to store
Since broccoli pesto is made without cheese, basil, & pine nuts, its shelf life is good. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6-7 days. It does not change in color.
It is a freezer-friendly recipe, transfer it to an ice tray and freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, store those cubes in zip-lock bags and store them for 2-3 months. Thaw before using.
More Sauces & Dips Recipes
If you like this recipe, you can check a few more from the blog.
Check what goes well with parsley.
If you try this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a star rating. Don’t forget to tag #fitmealideas20 on Instagram or @fitmealideas on Pinterest!
Homemade Broccoli Pesto (Vegan, Nut-Free, Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Microwave (OR blanch the florets on stovetop)
- Blender ( I use ninja foodie blender))
Ingredients
For steaming broccoli florets
- 250 gram broccoli 1 medium head of broccoli
- 2 tbsp water
For pesto sauce
- 4 garlic garlic pods
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp extra in case mixture won't move in the jar
- 1/4 cup parsley for substitute check variations
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds for substitute check variations
Instructions
Prepare & steam broccoli
- First, cut the broccoli head into small florets and wash them nicely. Rinse it properly. Transfer the florets to a microwaveable bowl and add 2 tbsp water. Microwave them for 2 mins and keep them ready.250 gram broccoli
Blend & serve
- Add steamed broccoli, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, jalapeno, and water to the blender jar. Blend it till you get a smooth paste. Add 2 tbsp of water in case the mixture does not move.Vegan nut-free broccoli pesto is ready to enjoy.2 tbsp water, 4 garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 jalapeno, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup parsley, 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Notes
- Herbs– Traditionally pesto is prepared using basil leaves. But have fun with using any of the herbs like cilantro, mint, parsley, chives.
- Nuts or no nuts-Â Pine nuts are used in general. But almond, cashew, walnut, and pecan also works fine. If you like to make pesto without nuts then replace nuts with any seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- Frozen broccoli– If fresh is not available then frozen broccoli is also good to use. Just thaw it before using it. No need to blanch or steam.
- Parmesan cheese– This is another classic ingredient in traditionally made basil pesto. However, you can replace it with nutritional yeast or just eliminate it from the recipe. Being vegetarian I do not use it or prefer vegan parmesan cheese.
