not my photo because when I made it I shoveled it into my mouth immediately

This is a delicious, dairy-free alternative to pesto alfredo! I guarantee it will be the easiest thing you cook this week and it’s perfect to make in big batches to store for the future.

 Avocado Pesto

 1 Avocado

Approx. 3 cups basil leaves

1 clove of garlic, grated

A handful of almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts, chopped finely

Juice of one lemon

Olive oil

Ricotta (optional)

Cherry tomatoes

If you are blessed enough to own a food processor, feel free to just toss the avocado, basil, garlic, and nuts together and think about how lucky enough you are not to have to meticulously chop the basil into tiny pieces like I did. Otherwise mash your avocado, season it with salt and pepper, and add lemon juice. Whisk in olive oil until is creamy and on the verge of liquidy. Chop your basil, nuts, and garlic and mix into your avocado mixture. Serve with pasta, on sandwiches, as a dip…get creative! Best served with some basil garnish—if you’re feeling fancy, chiffonade your basil leaves! Take a neat pile of leaves, roll them into a tiny joint, and chop then lengthwise. It’ll make those little strips that restaurants put on top of plates of pasta. I like to serve with pasta, cherry tomatoes, a dollop of ricotta on top, and fresh basil leaves.

Image via Flickr