If you love pesto all year long, being confined to just basil can be a bit limiting. Luckily, there are many ways to make this delicious green sauce more versatile.
by Denise Dill Updated: June 5, 2023
If you love pesto and could eat it all year long, being confined to just basil can be a bit limiting. Luckily, there are many ways to make this delicious green sauce more versatile.
First, let’s take a look at the traditional recipe.
Traditional Pesto
Denise Dill
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil, cilantro, or parsley
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, cooled
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil, (depending on how creamy you want it), pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
Put the five ingredients into a food processor and pulse to blend. Slowly add oil through feed tube until it makes a nice paste.
Keyword Pesto, Pesto Out Of Almost
There really is nothing like the strong flavor of basil, cilantro, or parsley pesto, but sometimes you don’t have enough of one kind of herb on-hand. That’s a great time to begin experimenting. Using any combination of these three herbs works great.
When Substitutions Work!
But why stop there? No Parmesan? Use some shredded cheddar or just about any other cheese. No olive oil? Use canola oil. Don’t have garlic? If they’re in season, you can substitute two garlic scapes. Not enough lemon juice? Use half white vinegar and half lemon juice, and you won’t notice the difference. Or just leave it out completely, and it will still be fine. The color will change faster, but the flavor will be great.
Try These Nuts
What if you’re allergic to nuts, or just don’t have any pine nuts (which are expensive)? You can also use walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans, or you don’t have to use nuts at all. The nuts thicken the sauce and help it to bind to whatever you are putting it over. Without them, you just have a thinner sauce but it’s still delicious. One way to thicken pesto without nuts is to use pureed white beans or chickpeas. These options also have the benefit of adding more protein.
Herb-Alicious
You actually don’t even need herbs to make a delicious pesto. If you’re impatient for that tangy, green flavor, you can experiment with pesto recipes made from spring crops like spinach, chard, kale, or collards. By adding these hardy greens, full of calcium, you’ll be ingesting a pretty nutrient dense and delicious sauce.
Even after the herbs start growing, you may enjoy this variation enough to add kale or spinach to your original-recipe pesto. You can even use carrot tops, which if you’re like most people, probably just get composted at your house, to make basic. Use them on their own, or combine them with spinach. Those green tops also make a good addition to soups.
But what about fall? At a farmers’ market in northern Maine, and one of the vendors had a sample of pesto. I immediately went over and noticed a magenta looking spread. They had made it out of cooked beets, which is just perfect for the fall. It seems there’s just about no time of year when you can’t make this amazing and versatile sauce!
Whatever version of pesto you like best, make a lot of it when the ingredients are in season. Pour any extra you have into BPA-free ice cube trays, cover it with foil, and put it in the freezer. Once your pesto is frozen, you can pop the cubes out and place them in freezer bags. Anytime you want pesto in the winter, just pull out a cube and enjoy. Whether you enjoy the traditional herb pesto, or are excited by these new possibilities, you can stock up and treat yourself all season long.
Evergreen (or Red) Pesto
Denise Dill
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed basil, parsley, cilantro, spinach, chard, kale, collards, carrot tops, sun-dried tomatoes, or cooked beets (you can also combine any of these, except tomatoes and beets)
- 1/2 cup toasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pecans, or white beans, chickpeas – or no nuts at all) 3 cloves crushed garlic (or 2 garlic scapes)
- 1 cup finely shredded cheese (Parmesan, Romano, cheddar, mozzarella, etc.)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or half lemon juice, half vinegar, or none at all)
- 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oilPinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
Put the five ingredients into a food processor and pulse to blend. Slowly add oil through feed tube until it makes a nice paste.
Keyword Evergreen Pesto, Evergreen Pesto recipe
Denise Dill
Denise Dill is a co-op livin', garden diggin', homegrown cookin' fool who creates soups of song out of local ingredients. She's currently working as a baker and soup maker while she completes culinary school. In the past, she worked as an urban gardener and community cooking educator. She has also toured the country as a folk musician, opening for such acts as Pamela Means and Hamell on Trial.
As a seasoned culinary enthusiast with a passion for exploring the vast realm of flavors, I can confidently guide you through the art of pesto-making, transcending the conventional boundaries of this beloved green sauce. My depth of knowledge extends beyond the traditional basil-centric recipe, allowing me to delve into a multitude of variations that elevate the pesto experience.
Let's dissect the article and explore the concepts related to pesto and its versatile adaptations:
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Traditional Pesto Recipe:
- The base ingredients for the traditional pesto include basil, cilantro, or parsley, toasted pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
- The preparation involves blending these ingredients in a food processor until a smooth paste is achieved.
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Substitutions and Variations:
- The article encourages experimentation by substituting herbs based on availability, such as using a combination of basil, cilantro, or parsley.
- It suggests alternatives for ingredients like cheese (shredded cheddar or any other cheese), oil (canola oil), garlic (garlic scapes), and lemon juice (white vinegar or a combination).
- Nuts, a common component, can be replaced with walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans, or omitted entirely. White beans or chickpeas can serve as a thickening agent and protein source in the absence of nuts.
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Herb Variations:
- The article introduces pesto recipes using spring crops like spinach, chard, kale, or collards, providing a nutrient-dense and flavorful alternative.
- Even after herbs are available, the author suggests incorporating kale, spinach, or carrot tops into the original-recipe pesto, showcasing the adaptability of the sauce.
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Seasonal Adaptations:
- The article highlights a fall variation using cooked beets, creating a magenta-colored pesto. This underlines the versatility of pesto throughout the seasons.
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Freezing Pesto:
- A practical tip is shared for making pesto in bulk during the ingredient's peak season. Excess pesto can be frozen in BPA-free ice cube trays for convenient winter use.
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Evergreen (or Red) Pesto Recipe:
- This recipe extends the versatility of pesto by incorporating a wide range of ingredients, including basil, parsley, cilantro, spinach, chard, kale, collards, carrot tops, sun-dried tomatoes, or cooked beets. Nuts, garlic, cheese, lemon juice, oil, and optional salt complete the recipe.
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Author Information:
- The article concludes with information about the author, Denise Dill, highlighting her culinary background, including work as a baker, soup maker, urban gardener, and community cooking educator.
In essence, pesto transcends its traditional basil roots, inviting culinary enthusiasts to embark on a flavorful journey by experimenting with various herbs, substitutions, and seasonal ingredients. Whether you stick to the classic or explore new horizons, pesto remains a versatile and delightful addition to your culinary repertoire.
