This easy Parsley Pine Nut Pesto is incredibly versatile. Serve it as a dip, as a spread on a healthy sandwich or wrap, or as a condiment with meats or roasted vegetables. You can also stir it through pasta as a sauce.
The pesto is also quick to make. All you have to do is blend the ingredients together and serve. You can use a food processor if you have one. But I prefer to use a simple hand blender to save on washing up.
Benefits of using a hand blender
Hand blenders, also known as stick blenders or immersion blenders, are used to mix, blend, puree or emulsify pretty much anything. They are relatively inexpensive compared to regular blenders and food processors. Plus, they have the added benefit of simplifying the cleaning up process.
When you buy a hand blender, it often comes in a kit with a cup attachment used to hold the ingredients you will be blending. However, when making dips and sauces like this pesto, I just use a large jar with a wide opening to hold the ingredients. After I have finished blending, I screw the lid onto the jar and the dip or sauce is ready to be stored in the fridge. No need to wash a separate cup attachment, just the hand blender itself.
What can I serve with pesto?
- Stir it through pasta: The most common way to serve pesto is stirred through cooked pasta as a sauce. When doing this, I recommend saving a cup of the starchy pasta cooking water just before draining the pasta. Then you add splashes of it while stirring the pesto through the pasta to thin out the sauce and help it stick to the pasta.
- Enjoy in a sandwich or wrap: Pesto also works well as a spread in sandwiches or wraps. It pairs well with most savory fillings like chicken, beef, cheeses and fresh vegetables. I love to spread it over rice cakes or crackers, then top it with slices of fresh tomato and cracked black pepper.
- Serve it as a dip or condiment: You can also enjoy pesto served as a dip or condiment alongside roasted meats, vegetables or salads. If you want to add flavor to a plain chicken and rice dish, spoon some pesto over the top. Cut up some raw vegetables to enjoy dipped into the pesto. Or dollop the pesto over a tray of roasted vegetables as a finishing touch.
Ingredients for parsley pine nut pesto
- Flat-leaf parsley: I always prefer flat-leaf parsley, also known as Italian parsley. It has a more robust flavor than the curly-leaf variety. Since the leaves are delicate, they blend smoothly and easily into the pesto sauce.
- Pine nuts: Many pesto recipes ask you to toast your pine nuts, but I prefer to use them raw. I love the creaminess they give to the pesto when they are raw. But you can certainly toast the nuts before adding them to the mixture if you prefer.
- Parmesan: Parmesan is the traditional cheese used in pesto. I recommend buying Parmesan in block form, rather than pre-grated, as pre-grated is usually lower in quality and can sometimes taste odd. I’ve also made this pesto with sharp cheddar cheese as a substitute and it was delicious.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Robust, peppery olive oils work really well in this recipe. The better quality the oil, the nicer the pesto will taste.
- Garlic: A touch of minced garlic really lifts the pesto. If you’re worried about the lingering effect of raw garlic, you can leave it out. But I think it’s worth it.
- Salt: Adjust the amount of salt added to the pesto depending on the saltiness of your cheese. You can start conservatively with a pinch of salt, taste the pesto, then add more if needed.
How to store this parsley pesto
I store this parsley pesto in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to three days. I find that it is best to use within this time frame. The pesto will firm up slightly in the fridge and the oil may separate. If this happens, just give it a stir before serving.
You can also portion out the pesto in ice cube trays and freeze it. That way, you can defrost the sauce in smaller portions overnight in the fridge as needed.
More savory recipes to try
- Gluten Free Cashew Chicken with Broccoli
- Creamy Vegan Tahini Ranch Dressing
- Parsley Pesto Pasta with Cashews
- Shakshuka with Fresh Tomato and Spinach
- Gluten Free Zucchini Fritters with Feta
You can find more savory meal ideas on the Dinner Recipes page.
Parsley Pine Nut Pesto Recipe
Serves
About 1 cup
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
0 mins
Ingredients
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (to give 1 1/2 cups packed leaves)
- 3/4 cup / 60 g grated Parmesan (or sharp cheddar cheese)
- 1/4 cup / 40 g pine nuts
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml / 55 g extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 – 1/2 clove garlic, minced
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp fine salt
Method
- Wash the parsley and pick the leaves off the stems.
- Place the parsley leaves, grated Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, minced garlic and salt in a hand blender cup, wide mouth jar or small food processor. Blend until you get a smooth paste. You may need to wipe down the sides as you go until everything is well combined. Taste, and add more garlic or salt if desired.
- Serve as a dip, spread, condiment or stirred through cooked pasta.
Notes
- Serving with pasta – If using the pesto as a pasta sauce, scoop out some of the starchy pasta cooking water with a cup or mug just before draining the pasta. Then add splashes of the starchy water to the pesto as you stir it through the pasta. It will thin out the pesto and help it stick to the pasta for a creamier result.
- Storage – Store the pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will firm up slightly in the fridge and the oil may separate, so give it a stir before serving.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Energy: 172 Calories / 720 Kilojoules
- Total Fat: 17.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Total Carbohydrate: 1.6 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.6 g
- Sugars: 0.3 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 147 mg
- Potassium: 96 mg
