Low FODMAP Pesto Sauce: Garlic-Free goodness!
Updated: Jan 26, 2020
In my kitchen, pesto is a lot more than a pasta sauce... it is the flavor foundation of so much of our cooking, as it lends a nutty, cheesy, garlicky punch to just about any protein or grain I can think of.
We use pesto to season meatballs and meat loaves, marinate our proteins, as a condiment, and of course, on pasta.
When I learned that I am severely intolerant to garlic, I panicked. Then, I grieved. And for months, I “lived” without pesto in my life... not a good time for me.
But thankfully, I discovered the humble garlic chive, and after a bit of experimentation, I’ve learned how to use it to replace the garlic in my go-to Pesto Sauce Recipe, the one from ”The Joy of Cooking” cookbook.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with garlic chives here’s the scoop— they are an excellent replacement for fresh garlic in most recipes. The trick is to figure out how much to use... I am taking it on a recipe-by-recipe basis presently.
You might also find them at your grocery store under one of their many aliases: Nira, Asian chives, or Chinese leeks. They resemble traditional American chives, but are lighter in color and have flatter leaves.
Low FODMAP, Garlic Free Pesto Recipe:
* adapted from Joy of Cooking *
MAKES: Enough to season a 1 box of pasta
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
-1/3 cup walnuts
- 10 chopped garlic chives, bottom halves only.
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Toast walnuts: Preheat a skillet over low heat. Lightly toast walnuts, stirring occasionally, until oils begin to release, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor or blender. Process until a
mush is formed.
- With food processor or blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Process until a thick paste forms. If the mixture looks dry or mealy, add another tablespoon of olive oil. - Pesto will keep for 1 week in an airtight container.