- Calories 194
- Fat 20g
- Sat fat 4g
- Cholesterol 7mg
- Fiber 0g
- Protein 3g
- Carbohydrate 2g
- Sodium 321mg
- Sugar 0g
Universal Pesto Recipe
Greg DuPree
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.
How to Make It
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set nearby. Add herbs to boiling water and cook until bright green, about 10 seconds. Transfer to ice bath with a slotted spoon. When cool, drain and squeeze dry.
Step 2
Combine herbs, nuts or seeds, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt in a food processor; process until very finely minced.
Step 3
Drizzle in oil with the machine running and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
Step 4
Add cheese and pulse to combine.
Step 5
Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. Or transfer to resealable plastic bags and freeze for up to 4 months; thaw in refrigerator overnight.
Step 6
Toss with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or stir into yogurt to make a quick dip.
You May Like
wls8afb39c529ff
2017-08-14T12:07:59-04:00
Great recipe. I love the fact that it is a "flexible" recipe that lets me use whatever ingredients I have on hand. Note that the ingredients say "2 TBS" of kosher salt, but the directions say "2 tsp." Pretty sure the intended amount was the latter, because it is pretty salty even at 2 tsp. Wouldn't go higher than that, and in fact might actually cut the salt down a bit.
In the future when I do this recipe I will be doubling it, because it freezes so well and if I am already dirtying the food processor and a large pan, I might as well. Will probably need to use a fairly large (8 quart+) stock pot for the blanching, though.
