This basil pesto salad dressing is inspired by classic basil pesto and shares the same ingredients—basil, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and lemon. It tastes so fresh and comes together in just a few minutes in your food processor.
This recipe yields a simple, summery dressing with bright, herbaceous flavor. Below, you’ll find a list of mix-and-match ingredients that complement it. It’s a build-your-own summer salad extravaganza!
Basil Dressing Serving Suggestions
This versatile dressing complements a wide range of flavors. Here are some suggestions:
- Almonds
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Bell peppers
- Chickpeas
- Corn
- Couscous
- Feta
- Fresh leafy greens
- Goat cheese
- Green beans
- Mozzarella
- Nectarines
- Olives
- Parmesan
- Pasta
- Peaches
- Peas
- Roasted eggplant
- Summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash)
- Tomatoes!
- White beans
- Whole grains, etc. (farro, millet, quinoa, wheat berries…)
More Salad Dressings to Make
If you enjoyed this dressing, you’ll also appreciate these herbed dressings. Find more salad dressings here and salads here.
Let me know how your dressing turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you and am eager to hear about your salads.
Basil Pesto Salad Dressing
This simple basil salad dressing takes cues from pesto and pairs marvelously with green salads, Italian/Greek flavors and a variety of bold, summery flavors. Recipe yields about ½ cup dressing and keeps well for up to 10 days.
- In the bowl of your food processor (a blender will probably also work), combine the basil, garlic and pine nuts. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- While the machine is running, drizzle in the olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and blend until smooth. For best flavor, use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Storage suggestions: This dressing is best served immediately, but will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for another day or two.
Change it up: Feel free to play around with the herbs and nuts used in this recipe! Mint or cilantro would be lovely additions or substitutions. The pine nuts blend right into the dressing, which is nice, but you could also experiment with almonds, cashews, pepitas and sunflower seeds.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
