This homemade Walnut Pesto recipe is bright, nutty, and creamy. Made with basil leaves, garlic, grated parmesan, pecorino romano, and of course, walnuts, this simple pesto recipe is made in a blender and is a versatile pantry recipe that can liven up any pasta, pizza, sandwich, or vegetable.
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We make this pesto with walnuts all the time. It’s one of the first recipes we shared on our blog and even have a few friends who include it in their weekly meal rotation, too. Originating in Genoa, Italy, pesto is a vibrant green sauce and a versatile pantry recipe that can liven up any dish and is typically made in a mortar and pestle. Our version can be made in a blender or food processor adding to the ease of this quick recipe.
While pesto is traditionally made with basil leaves, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, olive oil, and pine nuts, we added pecorino for a saltier pesto and walnuts as a substitute for pine nuts for many reasons. First, they pair well with parmesan cheese, they’re a quarter of the price of pine nuts, and pine nuts can sometimes go rancid – even before you buy them. Also, did you know pine nuts aren’t actually nuts, they’re seeds?
Herby, garlicky, and salty, our homemade pesto recipe is the most intense and fragrant pesto sauce adding life to any dish. All this walnut pesto recipe requires is good-quality ingredients but feel free to make it your own with what you have on hand. Swap basil for arugula, walnuts for pecans, or even additions like lemon for added zing.
Serve this Walnut Pesto on vegetables like potato salad, on pasta, pizza bases, sandwiches, whisked into salad dressings, or in our Walnut Pesto Carbonara.
Ingredient List
- Basil: Genovese basil is best for pesto recipes. Ensure it is fresh, the leaves are bright green and curling down, and ideally, the basil hasn’t begun to flower. You will only be using the leaves in pesto.
- Parmesan: Quality, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano is a must for authentic pesto.
- Walnuts: We use shelled walnut halves for our walnut pesto recipe. Look for walnuts that come in a sealed package vs. bulk, so you know they are fresh. For the best-tasting walnuts, shell them yourself.
- Pecorino Romano: While it is similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano is saltier and aged for less time, so it tends to melt a little easier. Traditional Pecorino is also made from sheep’s milk while Parmigiano is made from cow’s milk.
- Garlic: Use fresh cloves of garlic that don’t have any blemishes.
- Olive oil: Quality extra virgin olive oil is best for traditional pesto recipes.
- Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt are acceptable, but for best results use a flaky salt such as Maldon for walnut pesto.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Chef's Tips
Chill your tools: To help ensure that the basil doesn’t oxidize and turn brown, place your blender container or food processor in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before making your pesto.
Wash basil and keep it cold: Wash the basil with cold water and dry it completely by gently dabbing it with a cloth or by using a salad spinner. You can go a step further by placing the basil in a bowl set over ice.
Chill ingredients after prepping: After grating the Parmesan and chopping the Pecorino, place them in the fridge. You can also place the olive oil in the fridge but only for 10-15 minutes so it doesn’t solidify.
Recipe Steps: How to Make Walnut Pesto
1. Add the ingredients.
Place the basil, grated parmesan cheese, walnuts, pecorino, and garlic in the container of your blender or food processor.
2. Pulse the ingredients.
Pulse the blender about 6-8 times, for a couple of seconds to get a fine chop on the ingredients. Don’t blend for a sustained time, otherwise, the basil can bruise and turn brown.
3. Drizzle in the olive oil.
While pulsing on and off, slowly pour in the olive oil. Continue to pulse until the pesto is thick and bright green, and all the ingredients are finely chopped.
If your blender or food processor doesn’t have an opening to pour in the oil while blending, then add half the oil, pulse until combined, then add the remaining.
4. Season, enjoy, and store.
Taste the pesto and season with salt to your liking. Start with a small pinch and add more as you prefer. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge or freezer.
Substitutions and Variations
- Walnuts: Try pine nuts for a traditional version of pesto. Alternatively, you can use pistachios, pecans, or almonds.
- Basil: Spinach, parsley, arugula, or kale are variations that can be used for pesto.
- Pecorino Romano: This can be replaced with Parmigiano Regiano.
- Olive oil: Avocado oil or grapeseed oil are our preferred substitutions for extra virgin olive oil.
FAQ
Pesto will last 3-4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.
Use an ice cube tray to freeze pesto in small portions, then store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 6 months. Freezing pesto in small portions makes it easy to add pesto to sauces, soups, and stews. It will also thaw more quickly vs. freezing in a larger batch.
The obvious choice is to use pesto for pasta, but we also love to use it to enhance the flavor of soup and stew. Fresh pesto is delicious spread on toast, as a base for pizza, or tossed with vegetables. Pesto mayo is made easily by combining pesto with mayonnaise for sandwiches and wraps, and can also be mixed into dips.
The simplest way to make pesto pasta is to dollop the pesto into a large bowl. Cook your pasta then add mix in a few splashes of the pasta water into the pesto. Add the noodles, give it a toss, and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan or Pecorino. Try this method with our Pesto Gnocchi.
Alternatively, for a creamy pesto sauce, warm cream and pesto together then pour over pasta and toss. Top with Parm or Pecorino.
If there is mold on the pesto, it is bad and cannot be eaten. If it smells moldy or sour, it is bad and cannot be eaten. If it has been in your fridge for 5 or more days after opening, it may be bad and should not be eaten.
Recipe Card
Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups basil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated and tightly packed
- ⅓ cup walnuts shelled and halved
- 3 tablespoon Pecorino Romano grated and tightly packed
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the basil, parmesan, walnuts, pecorino, and garlic in the container of your blender or food processor.
- Pulse the blender about 6-8 times, just for a couple of seconds to get a fine chop on the ingredients. Don’t blend for a sustained time, otherwise, the basil can bruise and turn brown.
- While pulsing on and off, slowly pour in the olive oil. Continue to pulse until the pesto is thick and bright green, and all the ingredients are finely chopped. (See note)
- Taste the pesto and season with salt to your liking. Start with a small pinch and add more as you prefer. Enjoy immediately or store in the fridge or freezer.
Jackie F says
This walnut pesto has become a staple in our house. We use it mostly on pasta and pizza and even our 3 year old loves it!
Chef Sous Chef says
Wow, the ultimate compliment! Thanks for sharing your experience Jackie.