Few things are nicer than fresh basil in summertime, and this pesto vinaigrette is an excellent way to use it. It’s really just pesto in vinaigrette form – minus the cheese – and is excellent with green salads, grain salads, or pasta dishes like this summer pasta. I dip bread in it, drizzle over cooked grains like bulgur, and top seasonal tomatoes for an instant salad.

This recipe is adapted from the tahini pesto recipe in my cookbook. Using a seed paste like tahini makes pesto easy and cheap, it works well even if you don’t have a strong blender, and tastes great. For pesto salad dressing it makes even more sense because you don’t want texture playing such a large role so you don’t need to use whole seeds or nuts.

Recipe Rundown: Pesto Vinaigrette

• Flavour: like pesto, but a bit brighter. It’s a little peppery, strongly herbal, and with some acidity from the lemon. This is a lower-acid vinaigrette.
• Texture: very smooth, especially if you use tahini as outlined.
• Difficulty: easy peasy. Everything is blended together in one container and it’s ready in minutes.

Ingredients

• Basil: the fresher, the better. Any kind of basil will work here.
• Tahini: substitute another seed butter, like hemp or sunflower butter for tahini if you don’t have it. Whole seeds or pine nuts can be used if you don’t mind some extra texture.
• Garlic: adjust the amount to taste, but remember this is basil-based, and it should taste of basil, olive oil, and lemon, and not just garlic.
• Olive oil: use one you like the taste of, as it will come through.

For more basil recipes, try my soft pesto rolls, super green pasta, and roasted tomato, zucchini, and eggplant soup.

Step by Step Photos

Step 1: add all of the ingredients to a small blender or blending container (if using an immersion blender).

Step 2: mix on high speed until very smooth and serve immediately.

How to Store

Any basil dressing or sauce is best used as quickly as possible for the best taste. This can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days but will have the best flavour when served fresh.

Expert Tips

• Use the stalks: if you’re buying a bunch of cut basil to use here, toss the stalks in as well as the leaves. They’ll blend right in and you can avoid some food waste without sacrificing flavour.
• Harvest from the tops: if you’re growing your own basil, harvest individual large leaves and the tops of your plants to encourage more growth and bushier basil plants.
• Use fresh basil: if you have your own basil plants, make the pesto dressing immediately after harvesting, within minutes. The longer basil sits, the less flavour it will have. For store bought, try to perk it up in a bit of water before using (cut the ends off, place the cut ends in a glass with fresh water, and give it a couple hours).

More Salad Dressing Recipes

Avocado Dressing
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Strawberry Vinaigrette

If you make this Pesto Vinaigrette or any other vegetarian dressing recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.