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Easy Walnut Pesto

Name: Easy Walnut Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup Fresh Parsley; 1 Cup Fresh Basil; 4 Cloves Garlic; 3/4 Cups Walnuts; 3/4 Cups Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated); 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt; 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper; 1/3 Cup Olive Oil

By Nicole Modic ⎯

June 27, 2024

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This Easy Walnut Pesto comes together with just a few simple ingredients and is perfect for enjoying with your favorite pasta, sandwiches, eggs, and more. It’s similar to traditional pesto, except it’s made with walnuts, rather than pine nuts, for a delicious alternative that’s more budget-friendly.

A jar of pesto sauce sits on a wooden cutting board, surrounded by fresh basil leaves, parsley, garlic, walnuts, and a spoon with pesto on it. In the background, there's an open glass jar of uncooked penne pasta and a bowl of garlic cloves.

A good pesto recipe is a staple in my household. Whenever I’m feeling particularly lazy, there is nothing better than being able to boil some pasta and toss it in a bright and vibrant pesto sauce. And when it comes to pesto recipes, this one may be my favorite one yet!

This isn’t your traditional pesto recipe, and that’s because it’s made with walnuts instead of pine nuts! The walnuts add a deep, nutty flavor to this pesto. Plus, they are WAY more affordable than pine nuts. Pine nuts (similar to macadamia nuts) can be incredibly expensive, and with grocery prices on the rise, I love to cut costs when and where I can. Swapping the pine nuts for walnuts is not only a way more affordable alternative, but also tastes just as delicious as in this pesto!

But this pesto isn’t just delicious on pasta. It’s also delicious when added to sandwiches or eaten as a dip with pita bread or veggies! Plus, I also love enjoying it with eggs for a delicious twist to breakfast.

A flat lay image of ingredients for making pesto. There is a food processor containing fresh basil and parsley, a bowl of grated cheese, garlic cloves and bulbs, a small jug of olive oil, a bowl of walnuts, ground pepper, salt, and a plate of basil leaves. — To make this pesto, you will need fresh basil, fresh parsley, garlic, walnuts, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and olive oil.

A food processor is filled with fresh basil, parsley, garlic cloves, walnuts, and grated cheese, ready to make pesto. Surrounded by ingredients including garlic bulbs, grated cheese in a bowl, olive oil, salt, and a bunch of fresh basil on a wooden board. — To make this pesto, you will need fresh basil, fresh parsley, garlic, walnuts, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and olive oil.

What You Need to Make This Delicious, Creamy, Nutty Pesto

Fresh Parsley & Basil: The combination of fresh parsley and basil tastes delicious in this pesto recipe!
🧄 Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible, and this recipe is no exception. Fresh garlic will be used in both the pesto and the breadcrumbs.
Walnuts: Instead of the traditional pine nuts, I love the way that walnuts taste in this pesto recipe.
🧀 Parmesan Cheese: I always recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese, whenever possible. It adds the best flavor to this dish!
Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper: A little kosher salt and ground black pepper adds a delicious flavor to this pasta dish.
🫒 Olive Oil: If there’s one ingredient that all good pasta dishes require, it’s a good-quality olive oil.

A top-down view shows a food processor filled with green pesto. A hand is pouring olive oil from a glass bottle into the mixture. Fresh herbs, nuts, and a small bowl of salt are scattered around on a wooden surface. — Pulse the pesto ingredients together, on-and-off, until the mixture is crumbly. Then, slowly add in the olive oil and pulse for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the pesto comes together.

How to Make This Pesto in Just 5 Minutes

To make the walnut pesto, add the parsley, basil, garlic, walnuts, grated parmesan cheese, sea salt and ground black pepper to a food processor. Pulse the pesto ingredients together, on-and-off, until the mixture is crumbly.

Then, slowly add in the olive oil and pulse for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the pesto comes together. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Once the pesto is done, serve it with your favorite pasta and enjoy!

Top view of a food processor containing freshly made pesto. The green mixture appears finely blended, with visible ingredients like basil and parsley leaves placed nearby on the wooden surface. A few walnut pieces are also scattered around the cutting board. — Once the pesto is done, add it to your favorite pasta recipes, sandwiches, or eggs, and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use another nut besides walnuts?

Yes! Pine nuts are the traditional use for pesto, but they can be expensive and harder to find. You can substitute the walnuts out for any other nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios), but just note that each nut will add a slightly different flavor to this pesto recipe.

How long will the pesto stay fresh?

When stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, this pesto will stay fresh for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for longer storage. I recommend using an ice cube tray! Transfer the pesto to an ice cube tray and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

I don’t have a food processor, can I still make this pesto?

Yes! Although a food processor makes things WAY easier, you can still make this pesto with a mortar and pestle, or with a blender.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim

Refined Sugar Free