Universal Pesto Recipe

Name: Universal Pesto Recipe
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for blanching herbs; 8 packed cups mixed fresh tender herbs or greens, such as basil, parsley, arugula, kale, or spinach; 0.5 cup nuts or seeds, such as pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, or sunflower seeds; 3 cloves garlic; 1.5 cups olive oil; 2 cups freshly grated hard aged cheese, such as Parmesan or pecorino

3.1

(45)

1 Review

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.

By

Heath Goldman

Updated on June 19, 2018

Hands On Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Yield:

2 ½ cups

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for blanching herbs
8 packed cups mixed fresh tender herbs or greens, such as basil, parsley, arugula, kale, or spinach
½ cup nuts or seeds, such as pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, or sunflower seeds
3 cloves garlic
1 ½ cups olive oil
2 cups freshly grated hard aged cheese, such as Parmesan or pecorino

Directions

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.
Combine herbs, nuts or seeds, garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt in a food processor; process until very finely minced.
Drizzle in oil with the machine running and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
Add cheese and pulse to combine.
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.
Toss with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or stir into yogurt to make a quick dip.

Greg DuPree

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

194	Calories
20g	Fat
2g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Calories 194
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 20g	26%
Saturated Fat 4g	20%
Cholesterol 7mg	2%
Sodium 321mg	14%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Protein 3g

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.