How To Make Avocado Pesto Sauce

This Avocado Pesto Sauce is like a mixture of guacamole and pesto and it goes great on so many things! It’s full of good fats and lots of flavor.

You guys, this Avocado Pesto Recipe is like heaven in your mouth 🙂 Seriously! After I made this Avocado Pesto Sauce, Eli grabbed the food processor off the counter and started eating it with a spoon. I have a 20-minute zucchini pasta recipe that uses this pesto, but it is really spoon-worthy!

Now, I have to say that this is NOT a low-fat recipe. It contains avocados, cashews, and olive oil (which can be substituted for water). But these are all healthy fats, so it’s not as bad as it sounds. You still don’t want to go overboard and eat the entire batch in one sitting (which is easy to do!), but they’re all heart-healthy fats that can help lower bad cholesterol.

Avocado Pesto Recipe Ingredients

• Avocado – I used one large avocado that I pitted and scooped out. Ensure you have the perfect avocados for this recipe: Find one that is dark green and firm to the touch but has a bit of give when you push on it. An under-ripe avocado will be really hard and kind of bitter-tasting, and an over-ripe avocado will be mushy to the touch with brown spots on the inside and taste old and moldy.
• Basil – This recipe calls for a handful of basil leaves, about 1/2 cup. Although this is an Avocado Basil Pesto Recipe, you can substitute any other herb for the basil. Cilantro is a great alternative!
• Nuts – I used roasted cashews, but you can use any nut you like. They can either be raw or roasted; it’s up to you. 
• Garlic 
• Lime juice – I prefer using fresh lime juice.
• Salt
• Olive oil and water—You can use olive oil, avocado oil, or water as the liquid in the recipe. The water adds less fat, but the oil gives it a richer flavor.

How To Make This Pesto Sauce

This is one of the easiest and quickest recipes ever!  All you do is throw all your ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy.  You really can’t mess it up too much. 🙂

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until creamy.
2. I suggest enjoying it immediately, but you can also store it in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed against the top to prevent it from browning.

How To Use This Avocado Pesto Sauce Recipe 

• I originally used this sauce in these Avocado Pesto Quesadillas; they were great! The only caution I have is that warm avocado doesn’t taste very good, so I avoid cooking the pesto (e.g., baking on a pizza or putting on really hot pasta), but it seemed to work well on the quesadillas since you don’t cook them for very long.
• Zoodles or other veggie noodles are great with this avocado basil pesto! I recommend veggie noodles that can be eaten raw or don’t require too much cooking, like zoodles or cucumber noodles. I also have an Avocado Pesto Pasta recipe using zoodles and regular pasta!
• This would be great on regular pasta as well, but as I said above, I’d let the noodles cool a little before adding the avocado so the heat from the pasta doesn’t give it a strange taste.
• I have a Guacamole Pita Pizza recipe that would be amazing with avocado pesto subbed for the regular guacamole.
• This pesto would be great on avocado toast in place of regular old avocado.

Recipe Tips For This Avocado Pesto Sauce

• I used cashews, but you can use any nut you like. Nuts can either be raw or roasted; it’s up to you. I used roasted cashews.
• I make a Vegan Avocado Pesto Recipe without adding parmesan cheese, but you can add some if you want. The avocado and cashews make it creamy enough, but if you want parmesan flavor, go for it!
• You could use either olive oil (or avocado oil) or water for the liquid in the recipe. The water adds less fat to the recipe, but the oil gives it a richer flavor. I’ve made it with both, and I enjoy it either way.
• You don’t want to store this Avocado Basil Pesto in the refrigerator for too long because it will turn brown. I recommend using it immediately, but if you have to store it in the refrigerator, you can place plastic wrap over it so that it touches the top of the pesto, keeping it from turning brown as quickly.

Have a question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Looking For More Pesto Recipes?

Vegan Avocado Pesto Pasta

The Best Pesto Pizza Recipe

Basil Pesto with Spinach and Feta Cheese

Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Beans

Easy Vegan Pesto Recipe

Avocado Pesto

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• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup 1x

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Description

This Vegan Avocado Pesto Sauce is so creamy and delicious!  Add it to your favorite pasta for a quick and easy dinner recipe!

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Ingredients

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• 1 large avocado, pitted and scooped out
• 1 handful basil leaves, about 1/2 cup
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoons olive oil or water

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Instructions

1. Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until creamy.
2. I suggest enjoying immediately but you can also store it in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed against the top to stop from browning.

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Category: Condiment, Sauce
• Method: Food Processor
• Cuisine: American