Easy Walnut Pesto Recipe
For a delicious twist on a traditional Pesto recipe, try this easy Walnut Pesto recipe. It’s aromatic with fresh basil leaves, pungent garlic, salty parmesan, and crunchy walnuts.
It costs approximately $4.13 to make one serving of this walnut pesto.
Walnut Pesto
This recipe for homemade pesto sauce is perfect for tossing with pasta, spreading on top of pizza crust, serving over a piece of chicken, or spreading on warm bread. The options of how to eat this uncooked walnut pesto sauce are endless.
The recipe makes one cup, but you can easily double or triple the recipe if needed. With a few minutes of prep time, you will impress your family and other guests with this delicious, simple basil walnut pesto!
What You’ll Love About This Walnut Pesto Recipe:
- Nutritional Benefits: Walnuts are an excellent source of protein, plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. Basil also contains vitamins that are good for you.
- Versatility: The walnut basil pesto goes well with your favorite pasta, meats, pizza crust, and bread.
- Simple Recipe: With a few simple ingredients and steps to follow, you can make this pesto sauce in about ten minutes. It is the best way to have a delicious sauce on your table with minimal effort at any time of year.
Ingredients and Estimated Cost:
- ¼ cup walnuts – $0.39
- 1 cup fresh basil – $2.08
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese – $0.69
- 1 garlic clove – $0.04
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest – $0.04
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice – $0.21
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt – $0.01
- Pepper to taste – $0.03
- ⅓ cup extra virgin oil – $0.64
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the prices for this recipe in November 2023.
How To Make Walnut Pesto:
How To Make Basil Walnut Pesto Sauce
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
- First, add the walnuts, basil leaves, grated parmesan cheese, garlic clove, lemon zest, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse a few times to break down the larger pieces before processing on low while pouring in the lemon juice.
- Then, add the olive oil in a steady stream while it is still processing. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl of the food processor as needed.
- Finally, process until fairly smooth and you achieve a creamy texture before serving.
Basil Walnut Pesto Recipe Variations:
- If you don’t have any basil, you can use other fresh herbs such as arugula, mint, spinach, or even dandelion greens.
- You can use cashews, pine nuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts.
- This recipe makes one cup of pesto. If you have a larger size food processor, you can double the recipe to make a large batch.
Storage Tips
Serve: Serve it over pasta, as a sandwich spread, over poultry and fish, etc.
Store: Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Transfer the pesto to a freezer-safe container or zipper-top bag and freeze for 4-5 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 3-4 hours. You will need to give the mixture a quick stir once it’s defrosted.
Walnut Pesto Recipe FAQs:
Extra virgin Olive oil: You can eat this sauce raw, so make sure you use good-quality olive oil.
Basil: It does not take that much basil to give the pesto its signature flavor and freshness.
Parmesan cheese: It adds umami flavor and saltiness.
Fresh garlic: It adds so much flavor to the sauce, and there is no substitution.
Lemon zest: It adds the perfect pop of lemon flavor.
Lemon Juice: Adds a bright citrus finish.
Salt and pepper
First, start with fresh, unbruised basil leaves. Your pesto is only as good as the ingredients you use. Use great quality and buttery olive oil and none of that refined “light olive oil” stuff.
Secondly, Grate the parmesan cheese right into the food process. Avoid just throwing in a block of cheese.
Finally, process the ingredients on low. While it’s processing, slowly add the olive oil. If you desire a strong walnut flavor, toast them in the oven for five minutes in the oven, set at 400° F, before adding them to the processor.
If this happens a couple of days after you have made it, this most likely means the pesto is no longer fresh.
More Dressings and Sauces:
- Parmesan Dressing
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Chipotle Chimichurri Sauce
- Red Curry Paste
Walnut Pesto
Equipment
- food processor
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber scraper
Ingredients
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 cup fresh basil no stems, lightly packed
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated and lightly packed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- generous pinch of salt I used 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup extra virgin oil cold-pressed preferred
Instructions
- Add the walnuts, basil leaves, grated parmesan cheese, garlic clove, lemon zest, salt, and pepper into the food processor, close the lid, and pulse a few times to break down larger pieces.
- Now that the pieces are smaller, process on low while pouring in the lemon juice. Once the lemon juice is added, next add the olive oil while it is still processing.
- Pause to scrape down the sides and catch any ingredients that failed to hit the blade.
- Continue processing until fairly smooth.
- Enjoy with warm pasta or store in a container with a lid and place into the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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