Pesto draws its name from the Italian word pestare, which means to pound or to crush. That’s an apt description of how the Romans first made this sauce: they pounded herbs, garlic, and nuts with a mortar and pestle. In Genoa, Italy the combination of basil, crushed garlic, pine nuts, and grated hard cheese became the basis for what’s become a classic Italian sauce. (1)
Pesto is an uncooked, usually green (but there are some reds), sauce of herbs, nuts, garlic, cheese, sometimes acid, and oil. They all follow the same general cooking directions, combine and blend to the consistency you want. Traditionally, in Italy pesto is used with pasta. Some pesto’s are specifically for topping or marinating meats. But these days it is also used in sandwiches, as dips, a dollop is placed in creamy soups or stews, used for compound butters, added to risotto, drizzled over eggs, and even used as pizza toppings.
Homemade pesto can last ~7 days in the fridge if kept in a sealed container, or can be frozen (if it has no cheese).
Allergies: Seeds + Nuts. However, all of these can be made without nuts.
A Basic Pesto (Italy)
2C fresh Basil leaves (stems ok)
2 garlic
1/4C toasted Pine Nuts
1/2C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and Pepper to taste
Each of these recipes use a variation of these directions. Anything unusual I will note, but all direct the cook to combine all the ingredients well.
- Basic Directions: Pulse the garlic in the blender until it’s finely chopped. Toast and then add pine nuts. Add gently washed basil. Drizzle in olive oil with blender running. Finally, add grated cheese and pulse until combined.
Arugula Walnut Pesto
1C basil leaves
1-1/2C arugula/spinach mix
1/2C fresh flat leaf parsley
3T toasted walnuts
3T extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic
1/2C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3C chicken stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook: This pesto works over whole grain pasta, mixed in with Greek yogurt as a sandwich spread, or on top of chicken with fresh tomatoes and a little extra cheese.
Bärlauchpesto (German)
3T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2T toasted pine nuts
1/4C extra virgin olive oil
3oz wild garlic ramps (Bärlauch)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions: Thoroughly rinse wild garlic leaves, drain well and chop coarsely. Then add other ingredients in blender. Served with meats, veggies, and all the regular pesto foods.
Chimichurri (Argentina + Uruguay)
1/2 bunch finely chopped flat leaf parsley (44.8c, 7.7k, 3.5p, 4.2f)
1/2 bunch finely chopped cilantro (7.4c, 1.2k, .7p, .9f)
1 minced garlic (4.5c, 1k, .2p, .1f)
1/2 juiced lemon (5.5c, 1.6k, .1p, .1f)
1/2C olive oil (952c, 0k, 0p, 0)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook: This is an uncooked sauce, used primarily for a grilled meat topping.
Nutrition: 1/4C serving: 253.55c, 2.87k, 1.12p, 1.32f (nutrtionix.com)
Chive Pesto
1 bunch chives
1/3C extra virgin olive oil
2T Red wine vinegar
1/4C toasted pumpkin seeds
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook: The recipe I found for this used Chive Pesto on small potatoes as a warm salad. This pesto can also be tossed with chopped heirloom tomatoes for a salad.
Dandelion Styrian pesto (Austrian)
2C dandelion greens
4T Styrian pumpkin seeds
4T water
4T Styrian pumpkin seed oil
1 sliced garlic
3T grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Comment: Austrian pumpkin seeds come from Styrian pumpkins and are unique because about 100 years ago, these seeds lost their wooden shell due to a mutation. Only a tiny silver-colored membrane protects the seed, making the entire seed edible. Surprisingly, the Styrian pumpkin itself is not used as a food item, but the seeds have been used for ages as a snack food. Once the seeds are harvested, the pumpkin pulp is discarded as fertilizer on the field. The oil from these seeds is known in Austria as “The Green Gold.” (2)
Gremolata
1 cup packed Italian Parsley
1–2 garlic cloves
1 zested + juiced small Meyer lemon
½C olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
pinch chile flakes
Directions: Place all ingredients in food processor, pulse, taste and season. Store in fridge for 7 days.
Kale Walnut Lemon Pesto
5C kale
1 large garlic
¼C toasted + chopped walnuts
2T extra virgin olive oil
2T Meyer Lemon infused olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Rinse kale under running water massaging it so that the bitterness in the leaves is washed away. Trim stems and toss.
Pesto Rosso (sun dried tomato pesto)
1C extra-virgin olive oil
1/2C toasted blanched + chopped almonds
2T fresh minced rosemary leaves
2t balsamic vinegar
2t sugar
1/2t Aleppo pepper or paprika
20 pitted kalamata olives
10 chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
4 garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: This is great on a toasted olive bread.
Nutrition: Makes ~1-1/2C pesto (~6 servings).
Picada (Catalan pesto)
2T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 slice crustless day-old peasant-style bread (about 1/2-inch thick)
1 thinly sliced garlic
1/4C skinless (blanched) almonds
1/4C flat leaf parsley
Pinch koster salt, to taste
Directions: In hot skillet add 2T olive oil, add the bread and cook until toasted and uniformly golden on both sides. Remove bread and transfer to a cutting board to cut into small cubes. Return skillet to the burner and toast the almonds and garlic until lightly golden. Remove the pan from the burner. Transfer the bread, almonds and garlic, along with any remaining olive oil from the skillet, and parsley to a blender. Pulse until finely chopped for a crumbly picada, or pulse longer (drizzling in a few teaspoons more olive oil) for a more traditional smooth paste.
Cook: It is believed this was created as a way to thicken stews and soups. Picada is usually stirred into a stew or braise during the final minutes of cooking time. A dollop of this in a smoky lentil soup is certainly heavenly.
Pistachio Arugula Pesto
3C roughly chopped arugula (long stems removed)
2 smashed garlic
1/3C extra virgin olive oil
1t fresh lemon juice
1/2C lightly toasted unsalted pistachio nuts
8oz grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
Dash of red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook: Great pasta (Fusili) topping
Nutrition: 3 servings of 1/4C. Per serving 318c, 6k, 12p, 2f and 510mg sodium.
Pistou (French Pesto)
2C blanched fresh basil
2 garlic
2-4T extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Directions: Reuse the basil water by putting in the fridge and creating a Spa Water by adding orange and turmeric slices to the water. Often a dollop of this is added to a minestrone-type soup (Soup au Pistol) just before serving.
Radish Leaf Pesto
2C roughly chopped radish leaves
2 quartered garlic
2T olive oil
2T lemon juice
1t organic granulated sugar
3T grated parmesan-reggiano cheese
2T roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
Directions: Process the radish leaves, garlic, olive oil, amd lemon juice by quick pulses. Add sugar, grated cheese, roasted seeds, salt and pepper and continue to pulse to combine. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper or add oil if required. If the pesto is still a bit bitter, add sugar and pulse again. Taste and adjust until it tastes good to you. Chill before using.
Roasted Pumpkin Seed Pesto (Slovania)
5.3oz pumpkin seeds
3.17oz pumpkin seed oil
1 smashed garlic
4 small pinches of finely ground salt to taste
Directions: Roast seeds at 350F for ~8min. Let cool before placing in blender to crumble. Reserve 2T for a topping, transfer the rest to a blender. Add all the rest of the ingredients, blend, and taste for seasoning.
Cook: This is great as a polenta topping.
Comment: In Slovenia, pumpkin seed oil is considered as a true delicacy and it is made from an autochthonous pumpkin variety called Slovenska golica (Cucurbita pepo L.). Yellow colored pumpkins with green stripes is primarly cultivated for its seeds which are shelled and need no shelling prior to making oil. (3)
Romesco sauce (Catalan red pesto)
3T olive oil
2 broiled skinned and cleaned red bell peppers
3 broiled skinned and cleaned medium tomatoes
8 smashed + chopped garlic
¾C sliced marcona almonds
1C cubed crusty bread
¾C extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Brush washed peppers and tomatoes with olive oil, place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for ~30min and turn the vegetables over. Bake for ~15min. Take out of the oven and place roasted food on a cooling rack. .In a pan over low to medium heat, add 3T olive oil and sauté garlic. Add almonds for a bit, then add the bread and stir constantly. Set aside. Peel the cooled peppers and tomatoes. Remove skin and membrane/seeds from peppers and tomatoes and discard. In a blender combine the peppers, tomatoes with garlic, almond and bread. Drizzle in oil while churning until it is a thick puree. Salt to taste.
Nutrition: Makes ~3C
Sorrel Pesto
2C coarsely chopped fresh sorrel
1/3C packed fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic
1/3C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4C toasted pine nuts
1/4C extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook: Sorrel is a lesser used green that has a tangy, sour, lemony flavor which goes well in salads, fish, or chicken. Sorrel needs the ribs removed. Remove parsley stems too.
Nutrition: This will make ~1C, which is about 4 servings.
Spinach Pesto
6oz fresh baby spinach (with stems)
1C fresh basil leaves (with stems)
1C toasted pecans
1 chopped shallot
1/2C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2C Extra virigin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2C fresh basil
2C spinach leaves (stems ok)
2C kale leaves (spine removed)
½C olive oil
2 garlic
2/3C toasted pine nuts
1/3C Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions: Rinse kale under running water massaging it so that the bitterness in the leaves is washed away. Trim stems and toss.
Sweet Mint Pesto
5C fresh coarsly chopped mint leaves
1/4C pecans
Pinch kosher salt
1/4C almond Oil
2T honey
Cook: Perfect on fruit, a compliment to salty flavors of cooked meat and cheeses, a great topping on lamb specifically.
Tarragon Walnut Pesto
1/4C toasted Walnuts
2-1/2C fresh Tarragon leaves
1C fresh Basil leaves
1/4C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large Garlic Clove
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook: This is a great chicken breast topping.
1–2C Thai basil leaves
1/3C tahini paste
1/4C toasted chopped walnuts
2 garlic
1/2T Chili Pepper Flakes
1/3C olive oil
1t fresh lemon juices
Salt and Pepper to taste
Pinch of ground ginger
Zhoug Pesto (Syria + Israel)
