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Perhaps there is no easier dinner, nor one that screams summer more loudly, than pesto. Fresh herbs make us happy, their zingy nutrition and flavor; they taste alive! You’ll love this BASIL-MINT PESTO: It’s dairy-free, Whole30, Paleo and GAPS, and such a breath of summer!
Fresh Mint
We grow mint without labor, without lifting a finger. It blooms diminutive purple flowers that reach upward toward the heat and light of the sun. It grows wild in the gravel lane that leads to our house. We have it planted in our garden beds (uh-hem– “garden beds”… we need to work on these).
Fresh basil I enjoy buying and maybe someday we’ll grow our own. But mint offers its abundance prettily and for free.
Pine nuts
Pine nuts! I love sprouting them (a quick process). They rank in the highest echelon of nuts and seeds!, soo buttery and perfect. (See how to sprout pine nuts here.)
Pesto…that’s Whole30, GAPS, and dairy-free!
Garlic, olive oil, some quickly sauteed zucchini noodles. All healthful and gorgeously delicious, come together to make pasta with pesto.
(Tonight we also sauteed black cod, a true delicacy. Lovely next to our pesto pasta, any fresh fish is so easy; and it’s wise to eat!)
In colder months, we do buy mint, and this pesto is lovely on top of spaghetti squash! with other toppings, versatile year-round.
This dairy-free pesto is Paleo, GAPS & Whole30 and isn’t missing a thing.
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 2/3 cup olive oil or expeller-pressed walnut oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, sprouted* see link above for method
- 1 T. chopped fresh mint
- 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
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Place all ingredients into blender. Puree 30 seconds. Serve.
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Garnish with whole sprouted pine nuts and more fresh mint or mint blossoms.
Dr. Karen Lee says
Love the idea of adding mint! My family can’t eat dairy so this recipe will work! The link to sprouting pine nuts doesn’t work though. Thx for the recipe!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll fix it. 😉
Susanne says
This looks so good. I love that is does not have cheese. Basil and mint is such a wonderful combination, and I just bought some walnut oil. I will definitely be trying this. Thanks.
Megan Stevens says
Great, Susanne! 🙂
Vanessa Nixon Klein says
I love that you added mint to this pesto! It sounds delicious. I add nettles to my pesto quite often. Thanks for the recipe. The photo is beautiful too!
Megan Stevens says
Thank you, Vanessa! I need to do what you do too!! Nettles!
Elaina Newton says
Nice! I had never thought to add fresh mint to pesto before. I’ll have to try it this summer cause my apple mint plant grows like crazy!
Megan Stevens says
Apple mint sounds lovely!! I’d love to grow different varieties of mint. That one sounds like it would make nice tea too!