The eggplant and almond pesto is fantastic, ideal for dressing any type of pasta but also delicious simply spread on a slice of freshly toasted bread.
Very few and simple ingredients make this eggplant pesto a great vegetarian vegan condiment as I didn’t use cheese which I think is unnecessary in this recipe, you need to try it and you’ll see how delightful it is.
We have made broccoli pesto, basil and lemon, artichokes but with the arrival of summer we couldn’t help but prepare it with eggplants.
A fabulous contrast of flavors and moreover mine is vegan since I don’t add grated cheese and then the almonds give that crunchy touch that goes very well.
Below I leave you other pesto recipes to prepare it always in a different and very tasty way and then let’s go right after the photo to discover how to prepare the eggplant and almond pesto!!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Eggplant and Almond Pesto Ingredients
- 2 oval black eggplants
- 1 clove garlic
- 12 almonds
- 1 sprig basil
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Blender handheld
- 1 Pan
- 1 Cutting board
Preparation of Eggplant and Almond Pesto
To prepare the pesto with eggplants, start with the eggplants which should be peeled and cut into very small pieces, then in a large pan with a drizzle of olive oil, brown them.
Stir frequently to prevent them from coloring and after 2 minutes add a tablespoon of water to avoid adding oil since the eggplants absorb it like sponges.
After 5 or 6 minutes the eggplants will be cooked so let them cool.
Chop the peeled garlic clove roughly together with the almonds and basil using a hand blender.
If you have a mortar, use it; the pesto will be coarser but you’ll gain flavor.
Pound well with rotating movements, add the salt and then the eggplants.
If using the blender, proceed in short bursts to prevent the blades from overheating the eggplant pesto.
Add extra virgin olive oil only if the mixture is too thick; I didn’t need it and only added it at the end.
The pesto is ready to be enjoyed after it has rested for at least 30 minutes to blend all the flavors.
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How to store eggplant pesto
You can freeze the pesto in small portions so when needed you can take out what you need and have pesto available when eggplants are no longer in season.
Other recipes
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