Sunflower seed pesto is so easy to make and packed with flavor! This basil pesto is made with sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts, making it more budget friendly and also nut free. Sunflower seed basil pesto is great on pasta, pizza, sandwiches or as a dip for veggies or crackers.

If you love pesto, you have to check out this Spinach Walnut Pesto or Cashew Arugula Pesto recipe.

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to make – making pesto is so easy, just measure out the ingredients and blend until smooth in your food processor. You can also make pesto in the blender if you don’t have a food processor but I prefer the food processor for this recipe.
• Simple ingredients – you can find everything you need to make homemade basil pesto with sunflower seeds at your local grocery store. Most of the ingredients are pantry items and are easy to have on hand. You can grow basil all summer long right in your backyard or on your patio, making the ingredients even easier to keep on hand.
• Budget friendly – Sunflower seeds are so budget friendly. They are one of the least expensive nuts or seeds and add so much flavor to the pesto, especially when toasted first. An added bonus, if you have a garden full of basil, this pesto will be so budget friendly as the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples.
• Versatile – use this sunflower seed pesto in so many ways. Use it as a sauce (for pasta or pizza) as a dip (for gnocchi or veggies) or as a way to add flavor to any meal (like eggs, soup or salads). This recipe is nut free, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, Whole30 and low carb friendly, making it perfect for just about any diet.

Ingredients

• Sunflower seeds – I like to use raw sunflower seeds (unsalted) for this recipe. I like to toast the sunflower seeds on the stove right before blending to give them a really deep, nutty flavor. You could also use roasted sunflower seeds if you don’t have time to toast them yourself. Be sure you are using sunflower seeds that have been removed from the shell.
• Basil – fresh basil has such a unique flavor. It’s slightly sweet and almost spicy and has such a unique fragrance. There really is no substitute for fresh basil. Be sure to pick the basil leaves off the thick stems and measure them by loosely packing them in a cup.
• Fresh garlic – fresh garlic gives the sunflower seed pesto a deep flavor that has a bite to it. If you are sensitive to garlic or don’t love the flavor of fresh garlic, omit it from the recipe and just use garlic powder.
• Extra virgin olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is mild in flavor so won’t overpower the basil in the pesto sauce. If you don’t have extra virgin olive oil, you could use avocado oil.
• Lemon juice – lemon juice helps to cut the spice from the garlic and basil and adds a fresh note to the basil pesto with sunflower seeds.
• Spices: Salt, garlic powder – salt helps to intensify the flavor of the pesto and the garlic powder adds umami to the dish.
• Baby spinach – the spinach helps to add bulk to the pesto and also helps to give it a really bright green color. You could also use arugula or kale.

How to make sunflower seed pesto

Start by adding the raw sunflower seeds to a medium size skillet (I recommend using a stainless steel skillet if you have one). Put the skillet over medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes until you notice the seeds are starting to get some color on them. Stir occasionally and keep an eye out for the color while continuing to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat when toasted and fragrant.

In a food processor, combine the basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic powder. Blend until the basil has broken down.

Add the toasted sunflower seeds to the mixture in the food processor and blend until the sunflower seeds are well broken down (1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides 1 or 2 times).

Add the spinach and process again until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. If you like it to be a bit more runny, add more olive oil or you can add water.

Top tips

• Time saving tip: If you don’t have time to toast the sunflower seeds in advance, buy roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds or toast the sunflower seeds in advance and store them in the freezer.
• I recommend using unsalted sunflower seeds. If you are using salted, roasted sunflower seeds, wait to add salt until after the pesto is blended.
• I recommend grating the garlic or finely chopping it before adding it to the food processor. This helps to ensure that you won’t accidentally get a big piece of garlic in your pesto.
• Use baby spinach, arugula or kale to add more greens to this pesto. If you want even more basil flavor, use double the basil and omit the spinach.
• If you find the pesto to be too spicy (basil and garlic can have a spicy bite) add a teaspoon or two of honey or maple syrup to help sweeten it just a touch.
• If you want to make this pesto a little more runny (it’s very thick), add more olive oil or water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Store nuts and seeds in the freezer for the best taste. Seeds can start to go rancid if left at room temperature and do best stored in the fridge or freezer.
• When storing pesto in the fridge or freezer, the top can start to turn dark due to oxidation. If you are trying to keep the pesto looking the best, press plastic wrap or parchment paper on top of the pesto to keep the air from the pesto while in the fridge. You can also add a thin layer of olive oil to help prevent oxidation.

Ways to use sunflower seed basil pesto

Variations of basil pesto with sunflower seeds

• Use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or hemp hearts in place of the sunflower seeds to keep this nut free. You can also make pesto with tahini.
• Use arugula for a peppery kick or kale for a deeper flavor (be sure to remove the thick stems from the kale).
• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a kick
• Add parmesan cheese (regular or dairy free) for a cheesy kick

Common questions

Do you have to toast the sunflower seeds?

Toasting the sunflower seeds gives the dish a really unique, nutty flavor that is so rich and flavorful. If you are using raw sunflower seeds, you almost have to toast them as the raw seeds are pretty flavorless.

You could use roasted sunflower seeds (unsalted is preferred) to get the same taste.

Note: I like to toast the sunflower seeds myself because the oils used in roasting are not always the best quality.

How to toast sunflower seeds on the stove

Place the raw sunflower seeds in a medium sized skillet (I recommend stainless steel for this) and heat over medium heat. After about 3-4 minutes, you will start noticing the seeds starting to take on color. Stir them regularly and continue to cook for 3-4 more minutes until they start to smell fragrant and are darker in color. Take off the heat once they reach your preferred toasted level, so they don’t burn.

Note that nuts and seeds can go from toasted to burned quickly, so don’t walk away from the kithcen as they are toasting.

Can you make pesto in the blender?

Although I prefer and recommend using a food processor, you can make pesto in a blender if needed. You may find that you need more liquid (either olive oil or water) to help the ingredients move around in the blender. Also you may need to double the batch depending on how big your blender is.

If you are worried that you won’t be able to grind up the sunflower seeds in the blender, you can use about 3 tablespoons of sunbutter (unsweetened) in place of the sunflower seeds.

I usually use the small food processor attachment that came with my immersion blender for making pesto. It’s strong and powerful and much easier to clean and manage than pulling out the big food processor. This immersion blender set was well worth the investment for me!

Can you substitute sunflower seeds for pine nuts in pesto?

Sunflower seeds are a great substitute for pine nuts in pesto. They are more budget friendly and easy to find at most stores. Toasting the sunflower seeds (or buying roasted sunflower seeds) gives the pesto a really unique flavor.

Can you make a double batch and freeze leftovers?

Yes! Sunflower seed pesto is great for freezer prep! You can easily double the recipe and freeze the second batch for up to 6 months.

See the tips below on how to freeze pesto.

Storing leftovers

Fridge: Store leftover vegan sunflower seed pesto in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that you may notice the top of the pesto turn a little dark in color, this is from oxidation. You can  prevent this by pressing plastic wrap or parchment paper firmly against the basil before adding the lid or by adding a thin layer of olive oil to the top of the pesto to act as a barrier.

Freezer: Freeze pesto for up to 6 months in a freezer safe bag or container.

• Freeze the pesto in ice cube trays (for 1-2 tablespoons at a time) or in large batches (I recommend using Soupercubes for this). Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe bag for up to 6 months.
• Note that pesto can get a bit oxidized while freezing (it can get a little dark on the top). To prevent this from happening, add a very thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto before freezing. When defrosting the olive oil will just melt in with the rest of the ingredients.
• Defrost pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for the best color.

Substitutions

• Sunflower seeds – I recommend using raw sunflower seeds that you toast on the stove. You can also use roasted sunflower seeds. Be sure they are shelled. You could also use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) in place of the sunflower seeds. If you are not nut free, you can use cashews, almonds or pine nuts.
• Basil – for pesto basil is really required for the flavor. If you are wanting to experiment with other flavors, you could try using flat leaf parsley or a mix of flat leaf parsley and mint.
• Fresh garlic – if you don’t have garlic on hand, omit it.
• Extra virgin olive oil – you could also use avocado oil as a very neutral oil to use in pesto. If you only have olive oil on hand, you can use that as well.
• Lemon juice – for this recipe, you could use white wine vinegar in place of the lemon juice. I would start with 1-2 tablespoons depending on your preference.
• Baby spinach – you can also use arugula or kale (be sure to remove the thick stems). If you want a stronger basil flavor, omit the spinach and double the basil.

If you love this recipe, you should try

Tahini Pesto

White Bean Pesto

Pea Pesto

Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta

Pesto Pasta Salad with Sundried Tomatoes