EASY, BUDGET FRIENDLY Basil Pesto Pasta recipe made with fresh basil and almonds! This easy, healthy homemade recipe makes delicious basil pesto that can be served over pasta, as appetizers or on a sandwich! Pine nuts are expensive so this is a much more budget friendly pesto. Recipe also includes a vegan alternative.
I’m in love with this Basil Pesto. Big time.
Growing up, pesto wasn’t big in our house. It’s one of those things that I honestly can’t even remember having until I was in my 20’s. Then I started to make it and fell in love. Then when started to grow our own basil and could pick it and immediately make the freshest pesto possible, then I really fell in love with it.
Even though we’re still growing vegetables under the greenhouse on the roof, there’s no herbs growing there. All our herbs are growing inside our loft thanks to hydroponic gardening, or more specially our AeroGarden. Can we take a look at how bushy this indoor herb and small vegetable garden is getting? There’s basil, mint, thyme, cherry tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. If you have seen these AeroGardens and were wondering if they work well, they do! We’ve had ours for about half a year now and everything is grown so tall that we can’t even push our AeroGarden to go higher. The basil specifically grows wonderfully with this. There’s 3 basil plants (in the back to the right) and those plants are just awesome. They just grow, grow, grow. I honestly don’t even feel like I can keep up with the amount of basil it grows so I find myself picking some to dry, then suddenly I look a few days later and it’s already grown to the top again. This fresh basil has been feeding us yummy pesto for so many dinners lately.
I know lots of people prefer using pine nuts in their pesto recipe but have you seen the price of pine nuts? Every time I see the price of a package in the store I nearly faint. I like using other types of nuts, especially almonds and pistachios – that’s how I came up with this Easy, Budget Friendly Basil Pesto Pasta recipe! I’m a almond and pistachio nut (hahaha, get it?) so I always have a bunch stocked up in my pantry. 
Enjoy this Easy, Budget Friendly Basil Pesto Pasta!
Ingredients
- 3 cups of fresh basil leaves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3/4 Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup roasted almonds or pistachios
- pinch of salt
- pasta of your choice cooked
- red pepper flakes to garnish
Instructions
- Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan Cheese, olive oil, almonds and salt in a food processor. Blend to a smooth pesto.
- Pour on hot cooked pasta and stir so pesto is evenly combined.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes for a added kick.
Notes
If you want to make this dairy free, substitute the Parmesan cheese with 1/4 cup of Nutritional Yeast.
gotasté says
I’m so in love with this recipe too! And would love to try it using almonds. Too bad I am not able to plant basil here in hong kong apartment like when I’m at home. Is it difficult to plant them indoors? Does it cost a lot to set up like what you have? Warmly, Danny
Pamela says
Hi Danny, if you have decent sun, you could easily just plant a basil plant in a pot near the window and it would work (if you watered it of course). If you want something like a hydroponic system, look into AeroGardens or Window Farms (they even give instructions for a DIY version).
Winnie says
You have no idea how much I love basil!
I can eat it as a spread (on a slice of bread with lots of butter)
This is definitely a pasta for me 🙂
Samina | The Cupcake Confession says
Wow!!!!! Your plants are AMAZING!!!!! That photo of the basil looks breathtakingly beautiful! Pine nuts really are expensive, aren’t they! I’ve never ever attempted making pesto but now I want to try it so bad! Lunch: Sorted! 🙂
Shikha @ Shikha la mode says
Pesto is my favorite pasta sauce, more than alfredo or anything else!
grace says
pesto is the besto. yeah, i said it. seriously though, i’d rather have a pesto sauce than marinara or cream, no question.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Pesto is pretty much my most favorite thing ever and yours looks fantastic! I love that you use almonds and pistachios – they are a great alternative to pricier pine nuts. It looks amazing!
Jamie | Jamie's Recipes says
I love pesto too and like you it wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I discovered its awesomeness. Sunflower seeds are a favorite pine nut sub in our house since they are so cheap. I can’t wait to give them a try with almonds though –my husband just picked up a big bag from Whole Foods the other day.
I have little bitty baby basil just popping through my Aerogarden pods that I got at Christmas. I can’t wait to have fresh basil!
Pam says
I love pesto – this pasta looks terrific!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
Having your own basil is the best way to make pesto and I also sometimes use other nuts 🙂
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
I didn’t have pesto till I was in my late twenties – so don’t worry gal!
This AeroGraden of yalls has me so impressed! Yall are some amazing gardeners!
Love the pistachio/almond nuts in this pesto – pine nuts definitely do cost an arm and a leg and a kidney these days!
Joanne says
I honestly can’t imagine not growing up with pesto! But I’m so glad you eventually tried it. It’s so good!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
I’ve always been a pesto girl, love it! And I love when we have an abundance of basil in the summer. I really need to look into one of those aero gardens, I’m just not sure where I would put it. Have a great week, Pamela!
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma's Cookie says
I love me some pesto too!
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
whoa, Whoa, WHOA… combine almonds AND pistachios. Now that’s living on the wild side Pamela! Haha. I love using almonds and/or pistachios in my pesto because, you are so right, pine nuts are ridiculously expensive!
And I’ve always wondered how those indoor gardens work out. Good to know!
Ash-foodfashionparty says
I had no clue about pesto until I came here, and fell in love with every kind.
This is one of those dishes I make quite a lot. Looks so good.
Mason Canyon says
I’ve recently found the wonderful taste of basil. This looks like a yummy recipe to try. I’ve been trying to grow some basil indoors, but haven’t had much luck at it so far.
Koko says
How weird is it that basil pesto pasta is one of my favourite CAMPING meals!? It’s so easy to prepare (or buy…) some pesto, and take it in the cooler with some dried pasta. I mean all you really need to do from there is boil the noodles and throw on the pesto. Such a simple, flavourful meal that you can never go wrong with. yum!
Gretchen @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Ohhhh … if you have too much basil you could totally send some to me!! My plant bit the dust when it got so cold outside!
I LOVE that Aerogarden! I’ve seen them, but never thought it would actually work! It’s amazing!! I love to cook with fresh herbs, I might need to get me one of these beauties!
I’m totally saving this recipe for later (when I have basil!) because it looks so delicious and fresh. And I think the almonds (and/or pistachios!) would make a super interesting twist! Cannot wait to try! Thanks, Pamela!!
Liz says
I am so bummed that my basil crop failed this summer. That’s what I get for going on vacation and hiring no one to water our garden. I miss having a stash of pesto in my freezer. Your recipe looks perfect…and I love the thought of shaking up the nuts 🙂
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
I’ve been wanting to get one of those things so bad! Herbs are so expensive at the grocery store, so most times in the winter I just settle for the dried stuff. I think I may have to invest. This pesto looks awesome, I’m also a big fan of adding nuts besides pine nuts — for economical and taste reasons!
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
I never ate pesto as a child either, so I think that might explain my current love-affair with it hehe. This pasta looks deeeeeeeelish, oh gosh. I want a big plate for dinner, please!
p.s: you look so pretty in the new sidebar pic! xx
Shelby S http://bellabakes.net says
Now I love pesto pasta, but the almonds oh man this looks amazing! 🙂
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe says
I could seriously eat that entire pot of pasta – it looks SO good smothered in that pesto!
[email protected] says
Your pesto looks marvelous. And yes, pine nuts are way too expensive. I bet pistachios taste wonderful!
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
pesto is one my favorite too. i miss having a little patio garden with my herbs..that aerogarden will be ideal for our brutal summer too.
[email protected]'s Recipes says
wow, Pam, you have some fancy garden gadgets!
Love different kinds of pesto, but basil has always been my favourite.
Jersey Girl Cooks says
Pesto is great! Sometimes I even used already made …shhh. I am sure yours is much much better!
Beth @ bethcakes says
Oh, I wish I had a big bowl of this for lunch today! I’m like you – I didn’t discover the deliciousness of pesto until I was older. Your indoor herb garden is so impressive! 🙂
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
It was the same way with me growing up… never had it until in my 20’s …and now I need to have it MORE. This is definitely going to be my go-to pesto recipe now. Thank, Pamela! (Most gorgeous pictures, my friend!)
Pam says
I love basil with my pasta… it looks delicious & comforting.