Universal Pesto Recipe

Here’s the thing about pesto: you can use any combination of green things, nuts, and hard cheese to make it—just be sure to stick to this formula so you’re combining ingredients in the right ratio. Pine nuts, for example, are traditional but can be pricey. Try walnuts or a combo of odd nuts you have on hand. We wanted to bring you the best recipe for pesto that exists, so we tested out several steps that are common in pesto recipes, including toasting the nuts and blanching the greens. Toasting the nuts wasn’t worth it: we couldn’t distinguish pesto with toasted nuts from pesto with untoasted nuts. However, blanching the greens not only turned the pesto a vibrant green color but also prevented it from ever turning brown—even after it was frozen.