Pesto

A low FODMAP basil pesto made with garlic-infused olive oil, parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and lemon.

Prep 10 min

Cook 3 min

Serves 8

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 packed cups (about 40 g) fresh basil leaves, stems removed
• 1/2 cup (about 110 ml) garlic-infused olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup (about 55 g) finely grated parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano uses animal rennet; for a vegetarian pesto, use a vegetarian hard cheese)
• 1/3 cup (about 45 g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water, to loosen (optional)
• 1 teaspoon plain olive oil, to cover the surface

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts

1. Warm a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, swirling the pan often, until lightly golden and fragrant.
2. Slide them onto a plate immediately so they don't keep cooking. Let cool for a few minutes before blending.

Blend

1. Add the basil, toasted pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and about half the garlic-infused oil to a food processor.
2. Pulse 8 to 10 times to break everything down, scraping the sides once or twice.
3. With the motor running, stream in the remaining garlic-infused oil until you have a thick, spoonable paste. For a looser sauce, blend in cold water a tablespoon at a time.
4. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon, or pepper.

Store

1. Transfer to a clean jar. Smooth the top and pour a thin film of plain olive oil over the surface to slow browning.
2. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.

Tips & Substitutions

• Swap pine nuts for walnuts or pumpkin seeds. Walnuts are low-FODMAP at 30 g (about 10 halves) per serve, and pumpkin seeds stay low at generous amounts. Both toast the same way and give you a slightly different flavor.
• Go dairy-free with nutritional yeast. Trade the parmesan for 1/4 cup nutritional yeast plus an extra pinch of salt. The umami hit is different but still satisfying on pasta.
• Don't skip the infused oil. This is where all the garlic flavor comes from. Homemade infused oil is stronger than most supermarket versions; if you're buying a commercial brand, you may want a little extra.
• Handling homemade infused oil. Strain out every bit of garlic and keep homemade oil, and pesto made with it, refrigerated and used within 4 days. Store commercial infused oil according to its label.
• Add a pinch of asafoetida bloomed in a teaspoon of warm infused oil if you want a sharper, more allium-forward edge. Check the label for wheat if you're gluten-free.
• Use a mortar and pestle for a coarser texture. Traditional Ligurian pesto is pounded, not blended, and the result feels silkier on pasta.

Why This Works

Pine nuts stay under the serve limit. Monash lists pine nuts as low FODMAP at about 2 teaspoons (8g) per serve. This recipe divides 1/3 cup (about 45 g) across 8 servings, roughly 6 g each.

Garlic-infused oil instead of raw garlic. Garlic cloves are high in fructans at any typical amount. Fructans do not dissolve in oil, so properly strained garlic-infused oil carries garlic flavor without the garlic fructans.

Parmesan within serve. Hard aged cheeses are low in lactose, and Monash lists parmesan as low FODMAP at 40 g. The 55 g here split across 8 servings is about 7 g each.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed jar with a film of olive oil on top for up to 4 days if you used homemade garlic-infused oil (commercial oil: follow its label, up to 1 week). Freeze in ice cube trays (each cube is about 1 tablespoon) or small portions for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight or stir a frozen cube straight into hot pasta. Pesto will darken on the surface as basil oxidizes; scrape off the discolored layer and the green underneath is still good.