Basil Pesto

This fragrant and tasty pesto is a great dip, sauce, or condiment to go with almost anything. Use it on salad; steamed or baked vegetables; zucchini or cucumber noodles; gluten-free pasta, millet, or other gluten-free grains; in lettuce cups or potato wraps; as a dip for nori rolls or baked potato fries; or any other way you’d like. You can make this more of a traditional pesto by including the walnuts or pine nuts—it will still be lower in radical (overt) fats than other pesto recipes. Or you can keep the nuts out entirely for a fat-free option that still adds a lot of herby flavor.

There is no pathogen that likes basil. This includes yeast, mold, unproductive fungus, toxic fungus, the pathogens behind STDs and STIs, stealth viruses, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and all other forms of unproductive bacteria. Basil also provides specific digestive enzymes that stimulate stronger digestive periods and tend to stick around inside the stomach to the top of the small intestinal tract.

Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
• ⅓ cup walnuts or pine nuts (leave out for fat-free)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1-2 tbsps lemon juice, to taste
• 2-3 tbsps ice water (purified or spring; leave out for fat-free)
• ¼ tsp sea salt (optional)

Directions:

Gently wash the fresh basil leaves and pat them dry with a paper towel. Remove any tough stems and discard.

If using, toast the walnuts or pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are lightly golden and fragrant. Allow them to cool before using in the recipe.

Combine the basil leaves, toasted nuts (if using), and minced garlic clove in a food processor. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the food processor. Start with a smaller amount and adjust to your taste preferences.

Add the water and sea salt (if using) and process all the ingredients in the food processor until the mixture forms a smooth and creamy paste. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even blending.

If the pesto is too thick, you can add a bit more ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Taste the pesto and adjust the lemon juice, salt, and other seasonings to your liking.

Transfer the basil pesto to a clean jar or container. You can refrigerate the pesto for a few days or freeze it in ice cube trays for longer storage.

Serves 4

Recipe Notes:

• If the fat-free version of this pesto tastes too strong, try adding half a stick of chopped celery plus 1 to 2 dates or 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw honey to the food processor. This will still keep all of basil’s anti-pathogenic compounds intact.
• While high-quality sea salt or mountain rock salt is an optional inclusion in this recipe, the recipe is more healing without salt. Over time, you may wish to reduce or exclude the salt.

Get over 80 more delicious recipes and learn how to heal in Life-Changing Foods Expanded Edition: Save Yourself & Your Loved Ones with Fruits, Leafy Greens, Herbs, Wild Foods & Vegetables.

Categories: Snacks, Sauces, Dips & Condiments, Italian Inspired

This item posted: 20-Jan-2026