Pesto offers a savory and fresh flavor to almost any food it’s paired with. Whether mixed into a warm heirloom tomato summer pasta dinner, topped on crostinis and served as an appetizer, or spread on salmon fillets, pesto brings a zestful life to food.

While pesto traditionally uses pine nuts, they can often be expensive and even hard to source. Most nuts can easily be substitiuted for pine nuts in pesto for more accessible options – including walnuts! In this recipe, walnuts bring a nutty earthy flavor as well as health-promoting and anti-inflammatory nutrients like omega-3 ALA.

Tips for getting more out of your pesto

When making pesto, if I want to boost the nutritional and overall quality even more, I like first add some spinach to incorporate a nutrient-rich vegetable. For this recipe, adding about 1/2 cup of packed spinach could lend a nutritional boost while not changing the flavor. Secondly, when consuming olive oil that won’t be heated, I like to use extra virgin olive oil that uses young olives, which then contain even more polyphenols (plant-compounds that act as antioxidants). Currently, my favorite brand of extra virgin olive oil that I’d use in this recipe is Graza’s Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil. However, if you’re cooking on a limited budget, any olive oil will do just fine!

Print

Perfect Walnut Pesto

Pesto offers a savory and fresh flavor to almost any food it's paired with. Whether mixed into a warm heirloom tomato summer pasta dinner, topped on crostinis and served as an appetizer, or spread on salmon fillets, pesto brings a zestful life to food.

Course Appetizer, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, dinner, garlic, Pasta, Pesto, plant-based

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 14 minutes

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 Food processor or blender

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil, packed
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

• In a food processer, combine all ingredients besides the oil and pulse until finely chopped.
• While processing, slowly pour in olive oil and continue to process until fully combined.
• Enjoy!