2-Minute Fresh Basil & Walnut Pesto Sauce
Pesto without pine nuts is still pesto! You won't miss the pine nuts with this super quick and easy walnut basil pesto. Toss it with warm bow tie pasta or spread it on crostini for a yummy bruschetta base. Inspired by my oh-so-simple 2 minute classic pesto recipe.
Servings 1 cup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups basil leaves stems removed
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
- garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons toasted walnuts I buy them toasted from Trader Joe's
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2-3 T softened butter
- ½ cup Romano cheese
- 1 Tablespoon parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Place the basil, salt, pepper, whole cloves of garlic and walnuts in the medium sized bowl of a food processor or mini prep. Pulse about 5-7 times to chop the basil and garlic. Then, turn the machine on and pour the oil in slowly through the feed tube at the top. Stop when you have a thick sauce, about 30 seconds or so.3 cups basil leaves, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, garlic, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 Tablespoons toasted walnuts , ½ cup olive oil
- Remove the pesto to a medium bowl and add in butter and parmesan cheese. Use a bar muddler to press the cheese(s) and butter into the pesto. This should be really easy especially if the butter is softened as noted above.2-3 T softened butter, ½ cup Romano cheese
- Toss with hot pasta. Add pasta water as needed to make a thinner sauce as desired. Serve with parmesan.
Notes
A super easy pesto to use in chicken pesto flatbread or spread on a pressed brick Italian sandwich!
Storage Suggestions and Tips
- Refrigerate in an airtight container with a lid for up to 4 days.
- Freeze small portions in ice cube trays (Souper Cubes are awesome too!) so you can have pesto all year long.
- Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature and stir to blend before using.
- Use roasted and salted sunflower seeds in place of nuts. Pistachios make great pesto as well!
- Other herbs or green to use in pesto are spinach, kale (stems removed) and arugula.
- Never heat pesto directly on the stove. Heat isn't pesto's friend. Toss cold or room temperature fresh pesto with hot pasta.
- Limit pesto's exposure to air by either using immediately or storing covered in an airtight container.
- Press a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of pesto before covering with an airtight, hard lid.
- Freeze as soon as possible if freezing is your intention.
