July 20, 2023

Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Our Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Pesto will give your dishes a new boost of flavor! With only five ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, it’s a fast and easy way to elevate your meal! It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and plant-based. So whether you are rocking a Whole30 or Plant-Based Whole30, it’s compatible! 

This pesto uses ingredients we were able to find at our local Walmart – jarred roasted red peppers, fresh basil and garlic, cashews, and salt. We love that the jarred roasted red peppers make this a no-cook recipe! We found a compatible jar of roasted red peppers in the condiment aisle by the olives. Just double-check the label that there is no added sugar or non-compatible additives. The fresh basil and garlic really make the flavor of this sauce come together, so be sure to grab fresh ingredients for those.

Recipe & photos by Autumn Michaelis

Once you have the ingredients, pesto is really easy to make in a blender or food processor. Simply add all the ingredients and blend! You may need to stir it down the sides a few times and blend again until all ingredients are well combined. 

This recipe makes about 1 cup and stays good in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze this pesto in a sealed container for up to 3 months. We love it on top of grilled chicken or, if you are plant-based, it would be delicious in our Pesto Bowl or on top of our Tofu Frittata

Substitutions

Can’t do cashews? You can use an equal amount of pine nuts or walnuts; we just prefer the flavor and accessibility of cashews.

Can’t find jarred roasted red peppers? You can roast fresh red peppers instead. Just note that you need a total of 1 ½ cups of roasted red peppers in the end. We have done so before using a basic recipe as a guide like this one.

Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Recipe & photos by Autumn Michaelis

Whole30 Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 12 oz jarred roasted red bell peppers drained (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1 tsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 1/2 salt more to taste

Instructions

  • BLEND all ingredients in a food processor or blender until well combined. We like it with a little texture but blend to your desired consistency. The amount of salt needed will depend if your nuts were salted – salt to taste after adding the initial ½ teaspoon of salt and blending.
  • STORE in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Autumn Michaelis wearing an apron and holding a bowl of fresh salad smiling at the camera.

Autumn Michaelis

Autumn Michaelis is an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, with a B.S. in Exercise Science from BYU. Though exercise was her first love in the health world, nutrition has become her passion. She created the blog Wholefoodfor7, sharing easy and budget-friendly Whole30, Paleo, and gluten-free + dairy-free recipes for families. In August 2022, Autumn released the newest Whole30 Endorsed cookbook, Whole Food for Your Family. She is mom to 5 boys (yes 5!) and when not in the kitchen can be found adventuring, hiking, and tearing up the dance floor.