This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
On a recent trip to Nashville, I ate one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever had. It featured cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and chicken all smothered in a flavorful pesto cream sauce.
I’m sure the restaurant’s version is made with plenty of butter and heavy cream, so I set out to replicate the flavor using ingredients I already had in my fridge and pantry.
The result is this delicious pumpkin seed pesto.
These green seeds are a nutritional powerhouse, and when paired with fresh basil, garlic, and lemon juice, they transform into a creamy sauce. Use it for pasta, grain bowls, a dip for veggies, or a spread for sandwiches this week!
Pumpkin Seed Pesto Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pumpkin Seeds. Also called pepitas, this recipe calls for hulled pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts. They are flat, green, and oval-shaped, unlike the white seeds you scoop out of a pumpkin, and are readily available for purchase at the store.
- Fresh Basil. This fresh herb is essential for making pesto, but you can also mix in other fresh herbs if you prefer. (Such as parsley or cilantro.) I tend to buy this in clamshell boxes at the store; you’ll need at least 1.25 ounces for enough basil flavor, but you can add more if desired.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic adds a spicy kick to fresh pesto. If you’re not a huge fan, you can use only one clove, but I prefer to use two.
- Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor of pesto, adding a tangy taste that balances out the herbs. I don’t recommend using bottled juice; freshly squeezed lemon juice will have the best flavor.
- Olive oil. This recipe uses less oil compared to classic recipes, and if you prefer to use a different variety, avocado oil should work similarly.
- Parmesan cheese. Traditional pesto typically requires a generous amount of cheese, but this recipe uses a minimal amount to add flavor. If you need a dairy-free option, you can leave this out and add a little extra salt.
- Spices. Salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes finish this sauce. If you think your pesto sauce tastes bland, it’s probably because it needs a little more salt.
How to Make Pesto with Pumpkin Seeds
Step 1:
Add the pumpkin seeds, basil, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a high-speed blender. Add a quarter cup of water, then secure the lid and blend until the mixture looks relatively smooth.
Step 2:
Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender, if necessary, to ensure the ingredients are evenly incorporated. For a creamier sauce, add another quarter cup of water and blend again. (In that case, you’ll also need to add more salt— up to a 1/4 teaspoon more.)
The sauce you see in these photos contains half a cup of water, making it creamy enough to toss with pasta. For a thicker, or darker green sauce, you can also double the basil or bulk it up with fresh spinach or other fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley.
As soon as the pesto sauce tastes flavorful, it’s ready to use.
How to Use this Pesto
This pesto sauce makes a flavorful addition to your favorite pasta and veggies. I think pesto pairs particularly well with sautéed tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms, and spinach.
Add baked chicken breasts, shrimp, or chickpeas for an extra protein boost.
You can also use pesto as a spread for sandwiches and wraps, as a dip for sliced veggies, or as a sauce for your next grain bowl. We love drizzling it over a bed of cooked quinoa with chunks of chicken and roasted veggies.
Storage Tips
Leftover pumpkin seed pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will thicken when chilled, so if you plan to serve it as a dip, consider making it ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator overnight.
Ingredients
- ½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves , packed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, add the pumpkin seeds, basil, garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Add ¼ cup of water to the blender, then secure the lid and blend until the mixture becomes smooth.
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure everything is evenly incorporated. For a creamier sauce, add another ¼ cup of water and blend again. (In that case, you may add up to a ¼ teaspoon more salt to boost the flavor.) As soon as the pesto tastes delicious to you, it's ready to use.
- Transfer leftover pesto sauce to an airtight container with a lid and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can use it as a pasta sauce, sandwich spread, or as a drizzle for your favorite grain bowls.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this pesto recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
So good!! Made a sourdough grilled cheese w/pesto & sliced tomato. mmm.. Reading up on how to freeze~as the Basil did very well this year. Thanks for all you do Megan!! So many great recipes!
This is my new favorite go to pesto recipe! It was so easy to make and tastes delicious. I love the creamy texture! I omitted the red pepper flakes as my family doesn’t like anything spicy but it still tasted great. I served it with zucchini noodles and sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes. I used the leftover sauce the next day for lunch over some cooked shrimp and veggies I had in the refrigerator. Super easy and yummy!
Very fresh and delicious! Can’t stop eating it by the spoonful 🙂 eating this with lentils and quinoa tonight!
this came out really good! i would never have thought simple pumpkin seeds could make such a good pesto, definitely more economical than pine nuts, and just as delicious. thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jillian! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.❤️
Hi. Are the pumpkin seeds raw or roasted? Kindly advise.
Hi! I used raw pumpkin seeds for this recipe. I assume roasted would work, too, but if the seeds are salted you’ll want to cut back on the salt in this recipe.
Saw your recipe today, and had everything in the house to make it, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was very simple to put together, and turned out great. Thanks
This sounds delicious! Have you tried using dairy free Parmesan?
I haven’t tried that yet! Sometimes I’ll use a spoonful of white miso as a Parmesan substitute, so that could be an option here, too. Let me know if you experiment with it!
I used Follow Your Heart dairy-free shredded parmesan, and it was fantastic!!! Also, I subbed avocado oil for olive oil. I used it on noodles and as a dipping sauce for panko-crusted chicken. So good! Can’t wait to use it in quinoa bowls!