Creamy Pumpkin Seed Pesto (No Pine Nuts)

Name: Pumpkin Seed Pesto Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup pumpkin seeds (roasted); 2 cups fresh basil; 1 cup fresh parsley; 4 garlic cloves; 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast ((optional but recommended)); 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/2 cup olive oil (or water or aquafaba); Salt to taste

5 from 2 votes

This 5-minute creamy Pumpkin Seed Pesto Without Pine Nuts is nut-free and perfect for sandwiches, pasta, salads, marinating proteins, roasted veggies, or soups. Protein-packed, delicious, and healthy.

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Modified: Apr 7, 2025 by Nisha Melvani, RDN · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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This 5-minute Creamy Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce (No Pine Nuts) is perfect for sandwiches, pasta, salads, marinating proteins, roasted veggies, and soups. It's protein-packed, delicious, and healthy.

Creamy pumpkin seed pesto in a white bowl.

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Homemade pesto is a great way to use fresh herbs. This nut-free pesto is made with parsley and basil, but you can use a variety of herbs you already have on hand. Plus, pumpkin seeds are budget-friendly. They replace expensive pine nuts typically used to make pesto for a more affordable recipe.

This recipe was inspired by my 5-Minute Avocado Spread on this site and pairs well with this Pesto Pasta with Tofu.

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👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients
🍃Substitutions
📖 How to Make Pumpkin Seed Pesto
💡 Expert Tips
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
⚖️ Convert the Recipe to Metric (g & mL)
Pumpkin Seed Pesto Recipe
🛍️ Shop Recipe Cookware and Ingredients
💬 Comments

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients

This is an overview. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

Pumpkin seeds, parsley leaves, lemon, four garlic cloves, olive oil, and fresh basil leaves in glass containers on white marble.

Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) add protein, heart-healthy fats, and fiber. Plus, they're packed with nutrients and vitamins, including manganese, phosphorus, vitamin K, iron, zinc, and copper that enhance heart and bone health. One ¼-cup serving has 180 calories, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of protein, and 0 grams of sugar.
Fresh basil is a staple in pesto and adds a peppery and minty flavor.
Fresh parsley brightens this dish and turns it a deep green.
Nutritional yeast is an ideal vegan substitute for the parmesan cheese in traditional pesto. It adds a cheesy umami flavor, as well as protein and B vitamins (including B₁₂) to this recipe.
This pumpkin seed pesto sauce without nuts is lighter in olive oil than traditional pestos. Water is used in combination with oil to achieve the desired consistency.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🍃Substitutions

Parsley - substitute with cilantro, chives, or scallions as needed
Nutritional yeast - This is an optional ingredient but highly recommended for flavor
Pumpkin seeds - replace with walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds
Olive oil - Substitute the olive oil for water or aquafaba or try my oil-free Pesto Recipe Without Nuts.

📖 How to Make Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This is an overview. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

Pesto Sauce Without Nuts ingredients: Pumpkin seeds, basil leaves, parsley leaves, and garlic cloves in the canister of a food processor.

Combine the pumpkin seeds, basil, parsley, garlic, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice in the canister of a food processor.

Blended green pumpkin seed pesto sauce without nuts in the canister of a food processor.

Start blending and slowly stream the olive oil through the feeder tube on top, followed by ½ cup water. Blend until mostly smooth. Adjust oil, water, salt, and lemon juice to taste.

💡 Expert Tips

For oil-free, replace the olive oil with water or aquafaba.
Roasted pepitas pack in more flavor than raw pepitas. Use store-bought roasted pepitas or roast your own in the oven or use a skillet. Roasting them gives the seeds a savory, nutty taste, but reduces their nutritional value.
For blending, be sure to scrape down the sides of the canister occasionally with a spatula when pulsing to incorporate all the ingredients.
For a creamier pesto, use more olive oil and less water to blend.
Storage: Refrigerate leftover Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce Without Nuts in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Are pepitas and pumpkin seeds the same thing?

While all pepitas are a type of pumpkin seed, not all pumpkin seeds are pepitas. Pepitas are a variety of pumpkin seeds without a shells that can only be found in specific hulless pumpkin varieties, such as Styrian or oilseed pumpkins. This pumpkin seed pesto is made with pepitas.

Are roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) less healthy than raw ones?

Yes, roasting pepitas-especially at high temperatures-can reduce their nutritional value. The heat may damage healthy fats, lower antioxidant levels (like vitamin E), and slightly reduce the bioavailability of minerals such as zinc and magnesium. For maximum benefits, choose raw or lightly toasted pepitas.

How do you roast pepitas?

You can buy roasted pepitas from most major grocery stores, but it's also easy to toast your own.
I use the stovetop method. Heat a clean, dry skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the pumpkin seeds in a single layer, spreading them out to avoid overcrowding. (Toast them in batches as needed.) Toss them occasionally until evenly golden brown and slightly fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.