Ingenious and Simple Vegan Dill Pesto (7 ingredients!)

This versatile and flavorful vegan dill pesto recipe has 7 ingredients and comes together in less than 10 minutes.

This recipe was born because dill was overtaking our small apartment patio garden. I was informed by my husband that I had to find a quick way to use as much of it up as possible. I racked my brain for ideas on how to accomplish this task and quickly thought of how traditional pesto used massive amounts of basil all in one go. It seemed reasonable that this could work with dill as well. And thus, dill pesto has enriched our lives ever since. This recipe is quick and simple while packing massive flavor that will elevate whatever dish you put it in.

Dill Pesto Ingredients

Dill: One of my favorite summer herbs. It is distinct yet not overpowering and adds flavor dimension to whatever recipe it’s in.

Olive Oil: An essential component in any self-respecting pesto. Since olive oil is a big part of this sauce, I encourage you to use the highest quality olive oil you can afford (Costco’s Kirkland Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of my favorites).

Lemon Juice: I would strongly recommend that you use freshly squeezed lemon juice as opposed to store-bought lemon juice because the flavor doesn’t compare.

Pine Nuts: I considered going even more non-traditional with this already non-traditional pesto recipe, but decided pine nuts most evoked the flavor I was going for here. You could certainly play around with using walnuts or pecans, which I think would also work nicely.

Garlic: We all know garlic improves everything. I call for two cloves here, but if you want to put in more, go for it. I am not here to damper your garlic-loving spirit.

Red Pepper Flakes: For a bit of pizzazz and spice.

Salt: We can’t forget salt. It will bring out all the subtle nuances of flavor in each ingredient to create an amazingly well-rounded pesto.

Ideas for Serving

This dill pesto is super versatile and customizable and I highly encourage getting creative with it. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Try it on tuna melts!
• Use it as a base for a delicious summer pasta salad.
• Whip up a marinade for chicken or fish.
• Repurpose it as a sauce or dressing on top of your favorite Greek-inspired salad or bowl.
• Put it on a pizza as a sauce base with some olives, bell peppers, and other Greek-inspired toppings!

If you give this dill pesto a whirl, be sure to leave a rating and review! This helps little blogs like mine show up on Google and encourages others to give the recipe a try. It would truly mean a lot to me.

More Amazing Vegan Sauces

• The Only Tahini Sauce You’ll Ever Need
• Super Simple White Wine Vinaigrette
• Zesty Lemon Pepper Dressing

Vegan Dill Pesto

This versatile and flavorful vegan dill pesto recipe has 7 ingredients and comes together in less than 10 minutes.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean

Servings 6

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup dill
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• ⅓ cup pine nuts or walnuts (most nuts and seeds will work!)
• 2 cloves garlic peeled
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp sea salt

Instructions

 

• Place all ingredients in food processor and process on high for at least one minute or until all ingredients are well-incorporated.
• Serve on a tuna melt, a Mediterranean bowl or salad, or whatever your little heart desires!

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 5 days.

To make nut-free: Replace pine nuts with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.

Keyword dairy-free, dill, gluten free, nut-free, pesto, sauce, vegan, vegetarian

Photography by Hope Agresti