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Raise your hand if you love pesto! Now raise your hand if you’re allergic to, or avoiding, nuts… We’ve got a pretty special recipe just for you! This pumpkin seed pesto is 100% dairy and nut free, AND 100% delicious!

I chose to use arugula to add a peppery bite to my pesto. And because — let’s be real — it was in the fridge! You can use any leafy green that you like. Spinach, mixed greens, or kale will all work well here. If you do opt to use kale, just steam it briefly and be sure to remove the stems so it won’t be quite so fibrous.

In a traditional pesto, the “nuttiness” and texture comes from the addition of processed pine nuts. Since we’re going nut-free here, you can opt to use either pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds instead. I was gifted some delicious organic pumpkin seed bars from the lovely team at Health Warrior, so I used two of their Honey Sea Salt Pumpkin Seed Bars as my substitute for traditional pine nuts. And let me just tell you, it was a DELICIOUS decision. The slight sweetness from the pumpkin seed bars worked so well in this pesto, and gave some nuance to the otherwise arugula-forward sauce.

Like the greens, the oil you choose to employ is up to you. I opted for olive oil, but you can use sunflower oil or avocado oil as well.

While you could enjoy this pesto on veggies, pasta, bread, soup, or pizza (just to name a few), I wanted to amp up my veggie intake, so I served it over zucchini noodles with blistered grape tomatoes. This is a quick and easy vegan dish you can make on a weeknight.

If you’re not vegan and you’re looking to turn up the volume on this one…behold: I give you burrata. Just throw some fresh burrata on top, sprinkle with olive oil and red pepper flakes, and soak up the flavors! …Can you tell burrata happens to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures?

I can’t wait to see what sort of creative uses you guys come up with for this delicious nut-free pesto! When you make it, be sure to tag us on instagram @fridgetofork. We love seeing your creations!

Disclaimer: I was gifted a variety of organic pumpkin seed bars from Health Warrior, which I chose to use in this recipe. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal opinion. We only showcase products we know and love!

Pumpkin Seed Pesto with Zoodles + Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Created by Ellen on April 26, 2018

Prep Time: 10m
Cook Time: 10m
Total Time: 20m

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For Pumpkin Seed Pesto:

2 Health Warrior Pumpkin Seed Bars, Honey Sea Salt
1/4 c olive oil
2 cloves garlic, whole
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
5 large handfuls arugula (or other leafy green of your choice)

For Zoodles:

2 large zucchini
1 tbsp. olive oil
10 oz grape tomatoes, whole
1 clove garlic, sliced
10 basil leaves, ribboned
1 ball of burrata
red pepper flakes (to taste)

Instructions

To make the pesto:

Add all ingredients to a food processor, crumbling the pumpkin seed bars as you add. Process on low, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

To make the zoodles:

Trim the ends of the zucchini. Spiralize using the larger diameter "noodle" blade. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the whole grape tomatoes, sliced garlic, and half of the basil.
Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the tomatoes are slightly blistered and begin to burst.
Turn the heat to low and toss in the zucchini "noodles." Cook for 2 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly cooked, but retains some crunch. Be sure to watch it carefully, as it will go from raw to mushy very quickly!
Stir in 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the pesto. Store the remaining pesto in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Serve zoodles topped with the remaining basil, burrata, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Pumpkin Seed Pesto with Zoodles + Blistered Cherry Tomatoes