Basil Walnut Pesto is a summer staple in my house. Fresh from the garden basil is chopped with walnuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese, and then turned in to a magical sauce with lemon juice and olive oil. Use this on pasta dishes, vegetables, or grilled meats!
Contents
A Classic Pesto Recipe
Pesto is such a popular condiment, many variations are made. I have made it with a variety of herbs, arugula, and sometimes throw in handfuls of spinach to add more green power.
Despite all the delicious variations, the traditional pesto with basil and walnuts is my favorite.
This simple condiment is made with ingredients you most likely have on hand, plus fresh basil. If you’re lucky, you have an abundance growing in your garden or spilling out of the farmers market stand right now.
Although not traditionally used in Italian pesto, I use lemon juice to brighten up the flavor and give it an extra summery twist.
Fresh basil walnut pesto is so versatile. It’s famous for being tossed with pasta, but its even more delicious drizzled over grilled vegetables or grilled meats! In addition to being flavorful, it’s packed with nutrition.
If you’ve only ever had pesto out of a jar, you’re missing out on the true magic of this condiment! It takes about 5 minutes to make, is much less expensive that packaged options, and by making it yourself you ensure it’s made with quality ingredients (like EVOO instead of seed oils!).
This recipe is made with simple ingredients and is the perfect way to use up an abundance of basil.
See notes below on how to use this pesto, as well as variations for herbs and nuts!
What You’ll Need
- Fresh Basil (see notes for incorporating other fresh herbs)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (splurge on a good quality bottle, stored in dark glass, not plastic!)
- Lemon Juice (save the lemon and grate some fresh lemon zest on top!)
- Walnuts (raw, see notes for subbing other nuts)
- Parmigiano Reggiano (pecorino romano cheese is also commonly used and has a stronger flavor)
- Fresh Garlic Cloves
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
How to Make Basil Walnut Pesto
Step 1: Add rinsed fresh basil leaves to a food processor or high speed blender. Process to chop until no large leafs remain.
Step 2: With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil in a steady stream.
Step 3: Add walnuts and grated parmesan cheese to the processor, and pulse until incorporated into the sauce. Pesto should have a creamy texture, but have flecks of green and small pieces of nuts visible.
Step 4: Taste the pesto, and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Grate fresh garlic into the pesto. The garlic flavor intensifies as the sauce sits, so start with slightly less of a garlicky flavor than desired.
How to Store Pesto
Add pesto to an airtight container, and drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze Pesto: Pesto freezes well! Freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Alternatively, add pesto to an ice cube tray for single servings. I love using silicone ice cube trays for this! Once the pesto is frozen, pop them out and freeze the cubes in an air tight container or freezer bag. Allow pesto cubes to defrost at room temperature and stir well to use.
How to Use Basil Pesto
Mix up this classic basil pesto with these variations!
Pesto Pasta: Pesto is classically used on pasta. Boil your favorite pasta or gluten free pasta, or use zucchini noodles for a low carb option.
Pesto Salad Dressing: Mix 1/2 cup of pesto with 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil. Shake to mix, and use as a salad dressing.
Pesto Chicken: This chicken is marinated in pesto prior to searing. The flavor stays so fresh!
Pesto Salmon: Salmon is baked with a walnut and parmesan crust, then topped with a generous dollop of pesto.
Crustless Zucchini Quiche: A 3-cheese quiche with layers of garlicky zucchini and large spoonfuls of pesto. This low carb and gluten free quiche is a new favorite at our house!
Pesto Green Bean Quinoa Salad: A show stopping summer side dish! Crunchy green beans with hearty quinoa.
Cold Beet Salad: An arugula and beet salad is livened up with a pesto dressing.
Variations
Other Herbs: Pesto is a versatile sauce! Substitute half of the basil for other herbs or greens. Italian parsley, chives, spinach and arugula are all great additions and add different flavor profiles to this summery sauce! Even just throwing in a handful of baby spinach amps up the bright green color. Check out this arugula pesto recipe for more inspiration.
Other Nuts: Most nuts work well in pesto! Pine nuts, raw almonds, pecans, and cashews are great options. Pumpkin seeds keep this recipe nut free but still impart a nutty flavor.
Dairy Free Basil Walnut Pesto: Omit the parmesan cheese and add 1/4 cup of raw cashews to the mix. Add additional 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt. Some vegan pesto recipes use nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor, but I prefer the mellow salty cashew flavor.
Other Pesto Recipes
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Basil Walnut Pesto
Equipment
- food processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 4 cups basil fresh, loosely packed
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or 2 tablespoons EVOO and 2 tablespoons water, for a lighter sauce)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1-2 cloves garlic grated in to taste
- sea salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste, I used less than 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Wash the basil and remove the leaves from the stems.
- Add basil to the blender, and blend using a tamper stick until the leaves are broken up. If using a standard blender, push the leaves down several times and start again.
- Once the leaves are broken up, add lemon juice, olive oil, and water. Blend until the basil and liquids become a paste.
- Add the parmesan and walnuts. Start by adding a pinch of sea salt and a few turns of black pepper. Once it's blended, taste, and adjust seasonings to taste. Grate in garlic to taste. The garlic flavor intensifies as the pesto sits, so start with a slightly less garlicky flavor than desired.
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