Homemade Pesto
This homemade pesto is like summer in a jar - it captures the best and brightest flavors of the season and is so versatile. I love keeping a jar of it in our fridge all summer long to put on sandwiches, pasta, chicken, salads, in sauces, and more! Plus, it comes together in minutes and can be stored in your fridge for up to two weeks.
Homemade Pesto With Walnuts
This homemade pesto is so easy to whip up, you just need a few minutes and a food processor. It is believed that pesto dates back to the ancient Rome. And while it is popular now to make pesto with pine nuts, many chefs believe that the nuts originally used in pesto were walnuts. Walnuts are much more readily available in Italy than pine nuts (which grow almost exclusively in Russia) - so it makes sense that the original pesto sauces were made with walnuts.
Another benefit of using walnuts (or any nut you have on hand, really) is that they tend to be fresher (at least here in the states) than pine nuts. Because pine nuts are grown so far away and their shelf life is so short compared to other nuts, it is generally thought that most pine nuts sold in grocery stores in the U.S. are rancid. Comparatively, walnuts or pecans are usually grown here and can be shipped to your local store and consumed faster! Walnuts and pecans (and even almonds or cashews like the picture below) also tend to be cheaper.
Pesto is so Versatile
This homemade pesto is so versatile. It really is one of my favorite condiments to keep around. And, you can make some and freeze it for up 3 months, so you can enjoy the tastes of summer even in the middle of winter! We love to put this pesto on chicken (like my easy Chicken Caprese), sandwiches (like Pesto Grilled Cheese), pasta salads, spaghetti sauce, salads, and more.
It also makes a really lovely and simple hostess gift, especially when paired with my easy, No Knead Focaccia.
This homemade pesto is like summer in a jar - it captures the best and brightest flavors of the season and is so versatile. I love keeping a jar of it in our fridge all summer long to put on sandwiches, pasta, chicken, salads, in sauces, and more! Plus, it comes together in minutes and can be stored in your fridge for up to two weeks.
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves (washed and dried)
- 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1/3 cups walnuts (lightly toasted)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cups EVOO
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Place the basil, cheese, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor and process 3 to 4 times until roughly chopped.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the EVOO. Taste the pesto and season with sea salt and pepper to your tastes.
Refrigerate the pesto for up to 2 weeks or, make it without the cheese and nuts and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen pesto, thaw in the fridge overnight, put in food processor, add cheese and nuts and process until combined.