Looking for ways to add more flavor without all the salt? Look no further than one of our favorite sauces, pesto! This homemade version is low in sodium, dairy free, and couldn’t be easier to make!
Homemade pesto, a delightful low sodium and low potassium sauce for CKD!
If you are a fan of Italian food (and who isn’t, right?), you might be familiar with pesto, the famous sauce that originates from Genoa, Italy. Traditional pesto is made using fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, good quality olive oil, and pine nuts. However, there are lots of variations of pesto that feature different herbs, nuts, or additional flavors. For example, our recipe swaps walnuts for pine nuts and nutritional yeast for parmesan cheese to make this recipe fully plant-based.
Homemade pesto is naturally low in sodium and potassium which makes it a great alternative to marinara sauce for people with CKD. Pesto is also very easy to make, just throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender, turn it on and bam! Delicious pesto ready to go in mere minutes. If you don’t own a food processor or blender, store-bought pesto is a fine substitution but is typically higher in sodium.
Need another reason to whip up a batch of homemade pesto?
Pesto is incredibly versatile! You can toss it with pasta, stir it into soups, or spread it on a sandwich. We also love mixing it into unsweetened coconut yogurt, sour cream, or mayo to use as a dip for raw vegetables or crackers. It compliments our Roasted Red Pepper kidney friendly soup beautifully, and also pairs perfectly with our Summer Vegetable Panini.
Want to learn more about delicious nourishing foods that support kidney health?
We are here to help! To find out how we use the power of nutrition to preserve kidney function, join ourfree monthly class. Prefer a one-to-one setting? Considerscheduling a consultationwith one of our expert Renal Dietitians.
Low Sodium Homemade Pesto
Why buy store bought pesto when you can whip up a batch at home in just a matter of minutes? This low sodium version is dairy free, full of heart healthy fats, and pairs perfectly with a variety of recipes!
Recipe developed by Clarissa Paimanta, RD and tested by Jennifer Krasilovsky, KidneyRD Intern 2021
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Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Keto, Low Carb, Low Phosphorus, Low Potassium, Low Protein, Low Sodium, Plant-Based
Diet Type: CKD, Dialysis, VLPD
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 141kcal
Author: Clarissa Paimanta, RD
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves packed
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper to taste
- Optional: 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast to taste
Instructions
Add all ingredients into the blender. Blend on high speed until desired smoothness. Adjust seasonings to taste, adding nutritional yeast for a cheesier flavor.
Pour pesto into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 30 days.
Variations:
Herbs: Feel free to mix things up by replacing a portion of the basil with parsley, chives, spinach, or even kale.
Nuts: Walnuts are lower in potassium but may be slightly bitter. Use pine nuts for a more traditional pesto, cashews for a milder flavor, or any of your favorite nuts or seeds.
Fats: Add 1/2 avocado to replace half of the olive oil
Nutrition
Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 318IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
KidneyRD Verdict
During the summer, pesto is one of my all time favorite recipes to make. The combination of fresh basil, garlic, and delicious olive oil pairs perfectly with pasta, veggies, or just about anything! I made this recipe with and without the nutritional yeast and loved both versions. Replacing pine nuts for walnuts did add a slightly more bitter flavor compared to pine nuts but was hardly noticeable when married with the flavor of fresh garlic and basil. The beauty of this recipe is that you can customize it any way you choose!
ALL information you read onKidneyRD.com is purely for informational and educational purposes. Information is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease.
FAQs
Eating less sodium helps lower blood pressure and may slow down CKD. Try to keep your blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg. One of the kidneys' important jobs is to filter sodium out of the body and into the urine.
How much sodium is in homemade pesto? ›
Some can even average over 500 milligrams of sodium per serving size! Traditional pesto is made with garlic, nuts, salt, basil leaves, parmigiano-reggiano, and extra-virgin olive oil.
What brands of pesto are low in salt? ›
Examples of products with lower levels of salt:
Aldi Specially Selected Italian Pesto Genovese – 0.88g per 100g / 0.55g per portion. Jamie Oliver Green Pesto – 0.90g per 100g / 0.43g per portion. Aldi Specially Selected Italian Pesto Rosso – 0.95g per 100g / 0.6g per portion.
What is the best salt for CKD patients? ›
Your chance of developing serious kidney illnesses including heart disease and stroke might be increased by persistently high blood pressure due to high salt consumption. It is found that rock salt, commonly known as Sendha Namak is best suited for patients suffering from kidney disease.
What will a nephrologist do for low sodium? ›
We have to work on both increasing salt and decreasing the total amount of water in the body. We limit people to drinking a quart of fluid a day. Depending on the cause of the hyponatremia, we can add some diuretics that help excrete water as well as some salt tablets. If we have to, we use ADH antagonists.
Which organ is most affected by hyponatremia? ›
In the presence of low extracellular osmolality, cells will swell if the adaptation mechanisms involved in the cell volume maintenance are inadequate. The most dramatic effects of hyponatremia on the brain are seen when serum sodium concentration decreases in a short period, allowing little or no adaptation.
How healthy is homemade pesto? ›
Because its ingredients include olive oil, nuts, and cheese, pesto can be high in calories and fat. However, the fat is primarily unsaturated and may have heart health benefits. Pesto is also full of antioxidants that can help protect your cells from damage.
What can I add to pesto to make it less salty? ›
Add an acid to the recipe.
“You can add something acidic, such as lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, or processed tomato products to foods to reduce the salty flavor,” says Edwards. “This doesn't reduce the sodium intake, but it does reduce the perception of the salty flavor.”
Is pesto high in salt? ›
Despite there being some pestos with shockingly high levels of salt (5.1% in the case of the worst offender), most pestos you find for sale in the UK contain in the region of 1% salt. That places them slap bang in the middle amber bracket, meaning they should be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
What is the best substitute for pesto? ›
Alternative Pesto: An Un-Recipe
Fennel fronds, carrot tops, parsley, celeriac leaves, kale, spinach, mustard greens, collards, and so on, make an exciting and unexpected sauce. Sub out the nuts, acid, oil, and cheese for a truly unique flavor experience.
Its scarcity, plus the fact that the plants are picked roots, soil, and all to ensure that only juvenile leaves make it into pesto, makes it extraordinarily expensive and something that only premium, artisan pesto makers can justify using.
Which pesto is best? ›
Belazu Genovese Pesto 165g
Belazu is our top choice when forking out for a branded buy. It contains a high percentage of basil, which is lifted with sharp parmigiano reggiano and fruity extra virgin olive oil. The texture isn't overly oily, and the addition of garlic puree is a nice twist.
Is low sodium salt bad for kidneys? ›
A number of studies have successfully shown that a reduction in salt consumption can reduce calcium excretion, and reduce reoccurrence of kidney stones.
Can reducing salt improve kidney function? ›
When it comes to dietary sodium, less is certainly best. Yet Americans today consume 50% more than the recommended daily quantity of only one teaspoon of salt per day. Diets high in sodium increase blood pressure levels. High blood pressure damages the kidneys over time, and is a leading cause of kidney failure.
Is Mrs. Dash ok for kidneys? ›
You cannot use salt substitutes as they are made with potassium. It is not safe to use these substitutes if you have kidney disease. Safe seasonings to use are Mrs. Dash or McCormick (any flavour).
What happens if your sodium is too low? ›
Symptoms of hyponatremia can include nausea and vomiting, loss of energy and confusion. Serious hyponatremia can cause seizures, coma and even death. Hyponatremia is more common in older adults because they're more likely to take medicines or have medical problems that put them at risk of the disorder.
What is the number one cause of low sodium? ›
Drinking too much water. Drinking excessive amounts of water can cause low sodium by overwhelming the kidneys' ability to excrete water. Because you lose sodium through sweat, drinking too much water during endurance activities, such as marathons and triathlons, can also dilute the sodium content of your blood.
What is the fastest way to raise your sodium level? ›
Increase your salt intake
Consuming more salt is the most straightforward way to increase your sodium levels. Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is our diet's primary sodium source.
How do you fix a low sodium? ›
Options include:
- Intravenous fluids. Your doctor may recommend IV sodium solution to slowly raise the sodium levels in your blood. ...
- Medications. You may take medications to manage the signs and symptoms of hyponatremia, such as headaches, nausea and seizures.
