Basil Walnut Pesto Recipe
This easy walnut pesto recipe is made with rich walnuts, bright basil, and a blend of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses to create a sauce that’s incredibly versatile and seriously delicious. Use it in pasta, pizza, or sandwiches, or freeze it for later to make weeknight dinners a breeze!
Servings: 1.25 cups
Calories: 1076kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 cups basil leaves tightly packed
- ⅓ cup light extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup pecorino romano grated
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Add the walnuts, garlic, and salt to a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse crumb-like consistency.
- Add the parmesan cheese and pulse until it becomes incorporated into the nut mixture.
- Add the basil leaves to the food processor and pulse until the basil is finely minced and the mixture becomes a thick paste.
- Slowly stir in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the lemon juice
- Stir in the red pepper flakes if using.
- Serve with fresh pasta.
Notes
- Loosen the sauce: To loosen the sauce, add a tablespoon of pasta water to break up the sauce. Continue adding until you reach your desired consistency.
- Storing in the fridge: If storing the pesto in the refrigerator, place it in an airtight jar and top it off with a layer of olive oil. The olive oil will act as a barrier protecting the pesto from oxidation, which can make it eventually turn brown and lose some of its flavor. Fresh pesto can be stored this way for up to a couple of weeks; however, it will lose its flavor over time, so it’s best to use it within a couple of days.
- Freezing: Freezing the pesto in portions makes it easy to pull out exactly the amount you need. To freeze, pour the pesto into ice cube trays, then once frozen, pop the cubes out, place them in a ziplock, and seal, removing as much air as possible so ice crystals don’t form on the cubes
Alternatively, you can line a muffin tin with pieces of plastic wrap, pour the pesto in, and then freeze. When you take the pesto out, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then store it in a ziploc bag. Using the plastic wrap helps to remove the frozen pesto pucks from the muffin trays, and also helps you wrap each individual pesto portion tightly to prevent ice crystals. - Quantity: This recipe yields about 1 ½ cups of pesto sauce, enough to coat 12-16 ounces of pasta, or fill a small 8-oz mason jar for storage.
Nutrition
Calories: 1076kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 104g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 29g | Monounsaturated Fat: 51g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 2748mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3468IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 850mg | Iron: 4mg
