Castelvetrano Pesto

Pesto is one of my favorite ingredients to have on hand throughout the week. It’s great for dipping and sharing, but it’s also great for packing big flavors into weeknight meals. This Castelvetrano Pesto is everything I’ve ever wanted in a pesto — buttery, salty, bright and earthy, but most of all, plant-based! The castelvetrano olives make this pesto stand out among others, and they completely replace the parmesan in a traditional pesto. (I know, replacing parmesan in pesto sounds crazy, but I promise it’s so worth it!)

This recipe is easy to throw together and store in the fridge. I keep it on hand for any meal that needs a bit of brightness and zest, but it’s the perfect snacking dip, too.

The ingredients for this olive pesto

This plant-based pesto could not be simpler. There’s no plant-based cheese involved, just nuts and olives! The ultra-buttery olives pair perfectly with the earthy olive oil and zesty lemon juice. Overall, this dip is one of my new favorite snacks, and I can’t wait for you to try it! Here’s what you’ll need:

• ⅔ cup raw walnuts or cashews
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, plus more for garnish
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½ cup Brightland’s Castelvetrano Oil, plus more for finishing
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt

Serving ideas for this plant-based pesto

This pesto is so versatile. It’s great for almost any occasion: a quick snack, a light appetizer or an addition to dinner. Here are some of my favorite ways to use this pesto throughout the week:

• Try this pesto on top of some walnut cream, featured in the recipe below! Walnut cream adds a perfect balance to this zesty pesto. (If you’re not plant-based, ricotta works great here too!) Serve with fresh veggies and toasted bread for the most satisfying afternoon snack.
• Toss roasted potatoes in this pesto after they come out of the oven for a delicious side dish or appetizer.
• Spoon some of this pesto into pasta (with a splash of pasta water, of course) to create the perfect pasta sauce in seconds.

FAQ

Looking for more dip recipes?

I love a good dip, see for yourself!

Sizzled Jalapeño Dipping Oil

This quick, sizzly, vibrant dipping oil is my PERFECT appetizer or side. It's not too spicy, since we are using pickled jalapeños (Mezzetta is my favorite), and it's fresh and light while still being tangy and delicious. You can pool it on top of ricotta for a richer dip, but I love it as is, with a squeeze of lemon and springy bread for dipping.

Check out this recipe

Smoked Trout Guacamole

This smoked trout guacamole is the best guacamole I've ever eaten, no lie! It's smoky but not fishy, acidic from the lime, bright from the zesty peppers and red onion and filled with the perfect amound of heat from my favorite ingredient, adobo sauce.

Check out this recipe

Charred Corn Yogurt Dip with Preserved Lemon

This dip, using skyr or greek yogurt, combines the smokey flavor of blackened corn, protein-rich edamame and bright preserved lemon to turn a normal yogurt bowl into something perfect for a party. You can also totally justify this as dinner, because with the toppings, yogurt and herbs – you have everything you need to make a snack a full meal.

Check out this recipe

And that’s everything for this Castelvetrano Pesto!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Watch the recipe here

The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.

Castelvetrano Pesto

5 from 1 vote

This bright and herbaceous pesto highlights the buttery saltiness of castelvetrano olives, along with the vegetal notes of Brightland’s latest finishing oil. The pesto harnesses the robust flavor of the oil, playing off its notes of artichoke and green banana while balancing it with fresh basil and pine nuts. The olives in this recipe replace a traditional pesto’s parmesan, making this recipe naturally plant-based, and perfect as an appetizer or side.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Total Time:20 minutes mins

Course: condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: castelvetrano olives, green olives, pesto

Servings: 6 servings or 1 1/2 cups

Equipment

• 1 small food processor

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup raw walnuts or cashews
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves firmly packed
• ½ cup pine nuts
• 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives plus more for garnish
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½ cup Brightland’s Castelvetrano Oil plus more for finishing
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt

Instructions

• Add the walnuts to a heat-proof bowl or cup and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, olives and garlic to a food processor. Add half of the oil and process until a paste begins to form. Then stream in the rest of the olive oil, running the food processor as you go. The mixture will soon turn into a slightly textured pesto. Add the vinegar and season with a few good pinches of salt. Mix, then taste and season with salt as needed.
• Drain the walnuts and add them to a small blender (like a Nutribullet or something similar), add in ½ cup of cool water and a few pinches of kosher salt. Blend until very smooth.
• To serve, swipe the walnut cream on a plate (if you aren’t plant-based, you can easily substitute this for ricotta). Add the pesto to the center of the walnut cream and swirl it out to the edges.
• Top the pesto with more slices of olives and a drizzle of Brightland’s olive oil. Serve with crisp vegetables and crusty bread.