Walnut Pesto (And a Flexible Basic Pesto Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is a basic pesto sauce made of? ›

Traditional pesto is a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. With a food processor, it comes together in just a few steps: Pulse the nuts, lemon juice, and garlic in the food processor until they're finely chopped. Add the basil and pulse again.

The key nut ingredient in pesto sauce is typically pine nuts, renowned for their distinct nutty taste. They are combined with fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil to craft the signature flavor of pesto.

But you can take your pick of nuts -Pistachios, almonds, or (walnuts ) and even seeds like sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin can replace the traditional pine nuts in pesto. Pretty much any edible nut tastes delicious—just make sure to toast and cool the nut before grinding them into the sauce.

Combine basil, walnuts, Parmesan, oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Cover; process until nearly smooth. If needed, add water, a tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency.

Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you'd like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.

Many pesto recipes call for raw pine nuts, but toasting the nuts can make the final sauce's flavor deeper and richer. Toast the nuts and then combine them—either as a paste or whole—with fresh basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic.

Walnuts are one of the more popular substitutes for pine nuts because they are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and they add a delicious, nutty flavor to the pesto.

You'll want to be mindful of the sodium content. Some jars have more than 500mg per serving and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend you eat no more than 2,300mg per day. It would be hard to stay within those guidelines if you get more than 20% of your sodium from pesto.

Pine nuts are the standard ingredient in pesto alla genovese, but you can get creative and try walnuts, almonds, or whatever. One ingredient you shouldn't substitute for is good quality olive oil. Use extra virgin from Italy or Greece. Check the label…

It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Pesto can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months. I suggest dividing it into the compartments of an ice cube tray and freezing.

How long does homemade pesto last? ›

FAQ: How Long Does Homemade Pesto Last? You can store this basil pesto in a jar or sealable container, then tightly seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2–3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Once opened, a jar of pesto lasts in the fridge for three days without any dramatic loss of quality. It will be perfectly safe for another two days, but leave it any longer, and its quality will decline to the point that it will no longer be enjoyable to eat.

Some nuts, walnuts in particular, are notorious for leaving a bitter aftertaste, especially if they have been poorly stored. If your garlic is past its best, it may still be salvageable, but you should take extra care to remove the green "germ" from the middle of each clove, as these can be very bitter.

Italian pine nuts are considered the finest in the world and are therefore eye-wateringly expensive. To make cost savings, many big producers source their pine nuts from China. Not a big issue, you might think, but these pine nuts are notorious for leaving a metallic aftertaste for some people, and that can last weeks.

It is the normal process of oxidation of basil. You can try to put more lemon juice and olive oil to prevent it, but my advice is to better freeze it! It will surely oxidize otherwise, when made fresh it is not really meant to be kept for a long time in the fridge.

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Pesto is a sauce from Italy that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, salt, basil leaves and cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano. Barilla's Rustic Basil Pesto is made in Italy with high-quality ingredients like with fragrant Italian basil and freshly grated Italian cheeses.

What does pesto taste like? Traditional pesto is a thick, green sauce that tastes bright and herby from the basil, and salty and rich from the cheeses and pine nuts. It should be garlicky, with pleasant grassiness from good quality olive oil.

The traditional pesto recipe from Genoa, Italy, which is the birthplace of pesto, contains Parmesan cheese, but some variations omit the cheese. For example, vegan and dairy-free versions of pesto often use nutritional yeast or nuts, such as cashews or almonds, to add a cheesy flavor and texture to the sauce.

Pesto is a sauce made from basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. It is typically used as a condiment for pasta, but it can also be used in other dishes, such as salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Pesto from a jar is already cooked, so you can add it to your dish without any additional cooking.