Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing
Ever found yourself wondering what to do with leftover pesto? Three words: creamy pesto dressing. Homemade pesto gets a glow-up with a creamy base of mascarpone. Bye-bye tp boring salads or a few tablespoons of leftover pesto lingering in the fridge! Creamy pesto dressing is the perfect condiment, dipping sauce, best pasta salad dressing and sidekick for pizzas, sandwiches and bowls.Makes about 2/3 cup of dressing.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mascarpone cheese
- ⅓ cup homemade pesto classic homemade pesto recipe or store-bought
- 3 Tablespoons milk can use light cream or half and half
- 2 Tablespoons lemon
- 1 Tablespoon water or more as needed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ tsp pepper ground
- pinch of crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the mascarpone and pesto together until combined. Add in 1 Tablespoon of milk.¼ cup mascarpone cheese, ⅓ cup homemade pesto, 3 Tablespoons milk
- Stir in milk/cream first followed by the lemon juice. Add water as needed to desired consistency (more for a dressing; less if making a dip). Taste and then add salt and pepper along with crushed red pepper, if using.2 Tablespoons lemon, 1 Tablespoon water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ tsp pepper, pinch of crushed red pepper
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before serving so the flavors can meld. Stir before serving.
Notes
Once refrigerated the dressing will firm up and become like a spread. Bring to room temperature and whisk until creamy and add a little more milk or water as needed.
Whisking Alternatives:
- If you have a hard time whisking, hold the whisk between the palm of both hands and swish back and forth (like you're washing your hands) while keeping the whisk at the bottom of the measuring cup the whole time.
- Follow the recipe but place the ingredients in a jelly or canning jar. Shake vigorously to incorporate and mix the dressing.
