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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Sauces and Garnish Recipes

    Parsley and Dill Pesto

    Updated Aug 6, 2022 by Lori · THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS.

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    This parsley and dill pesto comes together in minutes and is SO delicious it just might replace basil pesto in some of your favorite recipes! Spread this fresh dill pesto on crackers and sandwiches, scoop it up with raw veggies, and use it as a sauce for pasta. Vegan and gluten-free; oil-free option.

    close up of chunky and thick dill pesto in a small white bowl.

    Easy Dill Recipes

    I've been on a bit of a dill kick lately. First, there was the Chickpea Salad recipe, followed by Jackfruit, Mango and Dill Salad.

    And of these three recipes, this bright and vibrant dill pesto is quite possibly my favorite. Seriously, even if you normally find dill too strong or overpowering, give it a try. The whole combination just works!

    A measuring cup filled with fresh dill.

    The parsley to dill ratio is just right, and the bright and fresh lemon flavor is balanced by the richness of walnuts and pumpkin seeds. It's just SO good.... and versatile, too!

    Feel free to adjust the amount of water and/or olive oil to achieve the perfect consistency, depending on how you plan to use it. This pesto can be enjoyed cold, room temperature, or used in hot dishes.

    Although, for hot dishes you want to add the pesto at the very end of cooking, as you would with basil pesto.

    ingredients for Parsley Dill Pesto in a food processor.

    How To Make Dill Pesto

    You'll need just 8 ingredients plus water and salt:

    • Parsley (1 cup)
    • Dill (½ cup)
    • Walnuts (½ cup)
    • Pumpkin seeds (½ cup)
    • Nutritional yeast (2 Tbsp)
    • Lemon juice (2 Tbsp)
    • Garlic (2 cloves)
    • Salt (½ tsp)
    • Water and/or olive oil (up to ¼ cup)

    In a food processor combine the dry ingredients, everything but the water/oil, and process until finely chopped and incorporated.

    Then drizzle in the oil, if using, and add up to a few tablespoons of water until the pesto is as thin as you like. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon.

    Making pesto is as simple as that! Serve immediately, or store the pesto in the refrigerator until ready to use.

    How to Store 

    The best way to keep pesto fresh is to pour a thin layer of olive oil on top, cover the container, and store it in the refrigerator.

    Personally, I haven't tried storing this particular pesto for more than about 36 hours because we can't keep our hands off it! 😀 But protected from oxygen, you should be able to store it up to a week, similar to basil pesto.

    And if you opt for olive oil instead of water, you can also freeze Parsley-Dill Pesto just as you would homemade basil pesto.

    Thick and green dill pesto in a white bowl.
    Parsley-Dill Pesto spread on a Wasa cracker.

    You know I devoured that tasty crisp bread cracker right after taking the photo. So good!!

    I hope you love this Parsley and Dill Pesto as much as we do! Leave your feedback below, and as always, you can tag a photo @myquietkitchen on insta to let me know how you're using this bright and fresh pesto. Enjoy!

    More ways to use fresh herbs:

    • Zhoug Sauce (non-traditional, oil-free version)
    • Spicy Parsley Pesto
    • Avocado Green Goddess Dressing
    • Fat-Free Italian Dressing
    • Tabbouleh-Inspired Bean Burgers
    • Air Fryer Cauliflower Steaks With Parsley Sauce
    • 25 Vegan Recipes To Make With Fresh Herbs!

    Be sure to try this parsley dill pasta salad! 

    close up view of thick dill pesto in a small white bowl.

    Parsley and Dill Pesto

    Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen
    Bursting with flavor, this simple and healthy vegan pesto is made with parsley, dill, lemon, and garlic, with walnuts and pumpkin seeds replacing the pine nuts typically used in pesto. Use it as an appetizer, a sandwich spread, and a rich sauce for pasta.
    Servings: 6 servings
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (45 g)
    • ½ cup chopped fresh dill (20 g)
    • ½ cup raw walnuts
    • ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
    • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
    • ½ tsp fine sea salt or mineral salt
    • 1 to 3 Tbsp olive oil, optional
    • 1 to 3 Tbsp water, as a replacement for oil or in addition to achieve desired consistency
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    Instructions
     

    • In a food processor combine the parsley, dill, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, and salt, and process until finely chopped and incorporated. 
    • With the machine running, drizzle in the oil, if using, and add up to a few tablespoons of water, until the pesto is as thin as you like. Taste and adjust salt and lemon as desired.

    Notes

    Store - the pesto can be enjoyed right away or covered and refrigerated until ready to use. To maintain its freshness, keep the top covered with a thin layer of olive oil and/or press a piece of plastic wrap on top to protect the pesto from air.
    Nutrition calculated with one tablespoon of olive oil.

    Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

    Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 6gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 209mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0gVitamin A: 1050IUVitamin C: 24.8mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.

    Tried the recipe?I love hearing from you! Share your feedback below!

    More Vegan Sauces and Garnishes

    • Bagel Croutons
    • Fresh Cranberry Salsa
    • Vegan Cheese For Pizza & Melting
    • Apple Cranberry Compote
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jean

      November 02, 2021 at 1:48 pm

      Oh num! Made this today and I understand Amanda saying it was hard to not just spoon it up right there! Love the ingredient list. Feel very good about eating this. I used several tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. I also roasted my pumpkin seeds and walnuts for a few minutes just because I love that flavor. I took some advice from someone, somewhere to use the stems of the dill and that was a good choice.
      I think it's fabulous.
      My plan is to use this with edamame pasta and grilled salmon. Looking forward to dinner! Hopefully there will be some leftover, too, for toast or roasted veggies.

      Reply
    2. Amanda

      September 18, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      This pesto is amazing! I made a double batch and it was seriously hard to stop myself from standing over the counter and eating all of it with a spoon.

      Reply
      • Lori

        September 18, 2019 at 7:14 pm

        Yes! I feel the same way. It’s irresistible!So glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

        Reply

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    Lori Rasmussen, Owner/Creator

    Hi, I'm Lori. Welcome to My Quiet Kitchen where I share easy vegan recipes with a healthier twist. Many are special diet-friendly or easily adapted. I also have a passion for veganizing classic desserts, and sometimes even those get a healthy-ish makeover.

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