Make Pesto Nut-Free With This Simple Protein Swap

Short of basil, which is the heart and soul of a bright and fresh batch of pesto sauce, you can't skip garlic, a glug of olive oil, a sprinkle of parmesan, and a scatter of pine nuts. Now, four out of five of these ingredients are probably sitting in your kitchen right now, but pine nuts? Not so much. Sure, as rich and creamy as they'd be able to make the sauce thanks to their oiliness, sometimes you just forgot to stock up (or are going nut-free). The good news is that the fix is simple: A can of chickpeas, roasted.

By roasting this high-protein item, you can give it a hint of nuttiness, which is exactly what you'd need in a stand-in for pine nuts. While they aren't as oily as pine nuts, chickpeas are naturally very starchy, making them really effective as a thickener and texture-booster (and not just for pesto; we also use them to thicken our pasta sauce). So with one simple swap, you get a batch of pesto that's every bit as nutty and creamy as the classic recipe.

Both dry and canned chickpeas are alright for this trick (just make sure to avoid Iberia's garbanzo chickpeas, our least favorite brand if you go for canned). Simply crack the can, drain, and spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet. Then, pop them into a preheated 325 degrees Fahrenheit oven until they're tender and golden (it should take about 30 minutes or so). All that's left to do is whizz the chickpeas together with the rest of the pesto ingredients in your blender or food processor.

Now, plain-roasted chickpeas make a fantastic "classic" pesto, but why stop there? Once you've gotten the basic version down, you can "spice" things up a little. For instance, before roasting your chickpeas, try tossing them with different spices or seasonings to make a signature pesto guests will remember. A light dusting of smoked paprika can add a wonderful warmth to your sauce. And if you want more than a hint and maybe a heated smack to the ole' tastebuds, you can try a hearty sprinkle of serrano pepper powder before roasting to get a pesto that'll get the sweat going.

You can also play with herbs and seasoning blends in your protein-filled pesto. Usually, anything that works with basil is going to make a great addition. Take za'atar as an example. This seasoning includes thyme, which famously makes a nice pair with basil (that's the reason why they're combined in Italian seasoning). Together with sumac for a tang, and roasted sesame for a bit of nuttiness, the za'atar-seasoned roasted chickpeas can add a wonderfully new dimension to your pesto. Slather a little bit of this on top of your basil pesto pasta and you're in for one heck of a flavor-fest.