Best 8 Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Creamy walnut pesto sauce is a flavorful, versatile sauce that can be used to enhance a variety of dishes. It is made with walnuts, basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. It has a creamy texture and a rich, nutty flavor. It is commonly used as a pasta sauce, but it can also be used as a spread for sandwiches, a dip for vegetables, or a marinade for chicken or fish. It is a relatively easy sauce to make, and it can be made in under 30 minutes.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CREAMY SPINACH WALNUT PESTO SAUCE



Creamy Spinach Walnut Pesto Sauce image

This spinach walnut pesto sauce is delicious and healthy - it's a tasty and quick dinner when served over pasta.

Provided by Kelly Roenicke

Categories     Dinner

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
1.5 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (plus more for topping)

Steps:

  • Put all ingredients in blender or food processor - blend, starting on low, then finish on high speed.
  • Serve over pasta of your choice (I used gluten free penne), or chicken or fish. Add more salt or pepper if needed. Top with more red pepper flakes as desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, it tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 153 kcal, Carbohydrate 3 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 15 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 633 mg, Fiber 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving

VEGAN CREAMY CALIFORNIA WALNUT PESTO SAUCE



Vegan Creamy California Walnut Pesto Sauce image

A blend of California Walnuts and velvety Onion "Cream" make this pesto delicious and creamy without the dairy. Mix it with pasta, top over protein or spread it on pizza.

Provided by Adam Moore

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 each onions, sweet
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt, kosher
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¾ cup California walnuts, roasted, chopped
2 cups basil, fresh, de-stemmed
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, fresh, minced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt, kosher
1 cup Onion "Cream"

Steps:

  • Onion Cream
  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Coat each onion, skin on, with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Place in the oven for 45 minutes, or until onions are very tender.
  • Remove from the oven and remove the skins and root from the onion.
  • Place in a blender and puree with lemon juice and remaining vegetable oil until smooth.
  • Add more oil until desired consistency is met.
  • Reserve until ready to use.
  • Pesto
  • Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until walnuts are the size of a grain of rice.
  • Transfer to a large mixing bowl and whisk in Onion "Cream."
  • Reserve under refrigeration until ready to use.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 80 cal, TransFat .5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 1 g

PASTA WITH CREAMY WALNUT PESTO



Pasta with creamy walnut pesto image

This unusual pesto is also wonderful with potato gnocchi, on crostini, in panini, or stirred into risotto at the end

Provided by Ursula Ferrigno

Categories     Dinner, Pasta

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 8

400g pasta (I used orecchiette)
175g walnut halves or pieces
1 garlic clove
handful fresh basil , leaves roughly torn, plus extra to serve (optional)
100g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), freshly grated, plus extra to serve (optional)
50g butter
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
50ml double cream

Steps:

  • Boil the pasta. Meanwhile, put the walnuts and garlic in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Add the basil, cheese, butter and oil and pulse a few more times. Season.
  • Pour the cream into a pan and warm through. Add two-thirds of the pesto, then gently heat to loosen it. When the pasta is ready, drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water, then mix both with the sauce. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the extra Parmesan and basil, if using. The leftover pesto will keep in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 805 calories, Fat 47 grams fat, SaturatedFat 15 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 77 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 23 grams protein, Sodium 0.48 milligram of sodium

SPINACH WALNUT PESTO



Spinach Walnut Pesto image

This flavorful pesto is easy to make and will transform your meal into a 5-star dish. It's great served with linguine pasta. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup pesto each pound of pasta.

Provided by Shan

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes

Time 15m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup water
3 cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

  • Place spinach, Parmesan cheese, parsley, walnuts, water, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor; blend until well combined. Pour in oil slowly, while processor is running, until mixture forms a smooth paste.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 442.8 calories, Carbohydrate 4.6 g, Cholesterol 17.6 mg, Fat 43.4 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 10.5 g, SaturatedFat 8.3 g, Sodium 460.7 mg, Sugar 0.7 g

CREAMY WALNUT PARSLEY PESTO SAUCE (NO PINE NUTS!)



Creamy Walnut Parsley Pesto Sauce (No Pine Nuts!) image

Who says you need pine nuts or basil to make delicious pesto? This creamy walnut parsley pesto sauce features fresh parsley and toasted walnuts, and requires NO pine nuts and NO basil! Oh, and did I mention this easy pesto recipe can be made ahead, and only takes 10 minutes to make? Gluten-free and vegetarian.

Provided by DWELL by Michelle

Categories     Dips

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup toasted walnuts
2 cups parsley (, loosely packed)
4 cloves garlic (, minced)
1 lemon (, zested and juiced)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (, grated)
1/2 to 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (, to taste (I use 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper))

Steps:

  • In a food processor fitted with an S blade, add the walnuts, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pulse a few times until mixture roughly combines, then drizzle in the olive oil, starting with 1/2 cup. Process for 20 seconds until combined.
  • At this time, the pesto should be creamy. If desired, you can add more olive oil to thin the pesto to your desired consistency.
  • Use immediately, or store in an airtight jar until ready to use. Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days. ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 84 kcal, ServingSize 1 serving

CREAMY WALNUT PESTO SAUCE



Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce image

This is a creamy Italian-style sauce that I regularly serve warm, over hot noodles or cold, spread on crackers. The combination of the sour yogurt, tangy garlic and bitter walnuts makes for a nice, balanced sauce. This recipe works best with a yogurt that contains 5% milk fat or higher. Add enough so that the sauce is a bit wetter than you'd like because the dry ingredients will absorb a fair amount of liquid. You don't need to use your best extra virgin olive oil because the food processor will ruin its flavour, pure grade olive oil is fine.

Provided by henry

Categories     Sauces

Time 1h10m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

150 g parmigiano-reggiano cheese, cubed
200 g walnuts, shelled
5 garlic cloves, peeled
10 ml salt
15 ml dried basil
150 ml olive oil
500 ml yogurt
salt and pepper

Steps:

  • Cut the cheese into 1cm cubes and chop finely in your food processor.
  • Add walnuts, garlic, salt and basil and chop until you have a rough paste.
  • Slowly add olive oil to the running food processor until the paste starts to form a ball.
  • Add yogurt to the food processor and pulse until thoroughly mixed.
  • Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate for one hour to allow the flavours to mingle.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 853, Fat 79.4, SaturatedFat 16.7, Cholesterol 43.4, Sodium 1882.5, Carbohydrate 15.6, Fiber 3.6, Sugar 7.2, Protein 26.5

WALNUT PESTO



Walnut Pesto image

A cheaper alternative to pesto made with pine nuts. You can use raw or toasted walnuts. Some people like to add Parmesan cheese to this as well!

Provided by teachhope03

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes

Time 10m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 cups basil leaves
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps:

  • Blend basil, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice together in a food processor until pesto has a paste-like consistency.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 455.3 calories, Carbohydrate 6.9 g, Fat 47.3 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 6.1 g, SaturatedFat 5.4 g, Sodium 2.9 mg, Sugar 1.1 g

WALNUT-HERB PESTO



Walnut-Herb Pesto image

Provided by Diane Rossen Worthington

Categories     Condiment/Spread     Sauce     Food Processor     Garlic     Herb     Parmesan     Walnut     Summer     Bon Appétit

Yield Makes 1 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup walnut oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
2 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • With machine running, drop garlic into processor and chop finely. Add walnuts and next 6 ingredients; using on/off turns, process until chunky puree forms, occasionally scraping down sides. Transfer to bowl. Mix in Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Pesto can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Tips for Making Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce:

  • Choose high-quality walnuts: Use raw, unsalted walnuts for the best flavor and texture.
  • Toast the walnuts: Toasting the walnuts will enhance their flavor and make them more fragrant.
  • Use fresh herbs: Fresh basil and parsley will give the sauce the best flavor. If you can't find fresh herbs, you can use dried herbs, but the flavor will be less intense.
  • Don't over-process the sauce: The sauce should be creamy, but not too smooth. Over-processing will make the sauce lose its texture.
  • Use good quality olive oil: The olive oil you use will have a big impact on the flavor of the sauce. Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best results.
  • Season the sauce to taste: The amount of salt, pepper, and lemon juice you add will depend on your personal preference. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Conclusion:

Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes. It's perfect for pasta, pizza, grilled chicken, or fish. It can also be used as a dip for vegetables or crackers. The sauce is easy to make and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy way to add flavor to your meals, give Creamy Walnut Pesto Sauce a try!

Related Topics