Best 10 Pesto With Walnuts Recipes

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Pesto with walnuts is a vibrant and flavorful sauce that can elevate any dish it is paired with. It is a versatile condiment that can be used as a spread, dip, or marinade. With its nutty flavor and vibrant green color, pesto with walnuts adds a touch of sophistication to any meal. Whether you are looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or an impressive appetizer for a special occasion, pesto with walnuts is a delicious and satisfying choice. In this article, we will explore the best recipes for pesto with walnuts, providing a variety of options to suit your taste and dietary preferences.

Let's cook with our recipes!

WALNUT PESTO



Walnut Pesto image

This walnut pesto is a twist on a classic basil pesto. Instead of pine nuts (which are really pricey) walnuts are mixed with fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil for a simple and delicious sauce. Toss with pasta, add it to soups, or spoon it over steak, chicken, or pork.

Provided by April Anderson

Categories     Sauces

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 cup basil
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup walnuts
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
Pinch of salt and black pepper

Steps:

  • Place the basil, cheese, nuts, and garlic in a food processor. Add half of the olive oil and pulse until the ingredients are broken down and well combined.
  • With the food processor running, slowly add the rest of the olive oil until the pesto has the consistency you like.
  • Serve with hot pasta or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 155 calories, Sugar 0.1g, Sodium 51.6g, Fat 16.g, SaturatedFat 2.6g, UnsaturatedFat 13.8g, TransFat 0g, Carbohydrate 1.1g, Fiber 0.3g, Protein 1.5g, Cholesterol 1.4mg

THE BEST BASIC PESTO



The Best Basic Pesto image

Homemade pesto sauce is easy to make, and it's good on just about everything, from pastas to pizzas to salads.

Provided by Jennifer Segal

Categories     Dinner

Time 15m

Yield Makes about 1¼ cups (about 10 servings)

Number Of Ingredients 7

⅓ cup walnuts
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Steps:

  • Place the walnuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until coarsely chopped, about 10 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper and process until mixture resembles a paste, about 1 minute. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly blended. Add the Parmesan and process a minute more. Use pesto immediately or store in a tightly sealed jar or air-tight plastic container, covered with a thin layer of olive oil (this seals out the air and prevents the pesto from oxidizing, which would turn it an ugly brown color). It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
  • Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Pesto can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months. You can also divide your prepared pesto into the compartments of an ice cube tray and freeze. Once it's frozen, remove the pesto cubes from the tray and put in a sealable plastic bag or airtight container. You can add the defrosted pesto cubes to soups, pasta dishes, eggs, sandwiches, and potatoes.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 2 Tbsp., Calories 159, Fat 17 g, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sugar 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Sodium 161 mg, Cholesterol 4 mg

WALNUT PESTO



Walnut Pesto image

This pesto is easy to make and can be kept on-hand for several days. This pesto also makes a tasty sandwich spread or veggie dip.

Provided by California Walnuts

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 packed cups fresh basil leaves
3 large cloves garlic
1/3 cup lightly-toasted California walnuts
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: additional extra-virgin olive oil (for storage)
Tip: Try this with Spinach Lasagna with Walnut Pesto

Steps:

  • Place the basil leaves and garlic in a food processor or blender, and mix well. Add the walnuts, and continue to blend until the nuts are finely ground.
  • Keep the machine running as you drizzle in the olive oil. When you have a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • If you are not going to use the pesto right away, place in a container that has a tight-fitting lid. Smooth out the top surface of the pesto, and pour on enough olive oil to cover it completely. This creates an air-proof seal that helps preserve it well. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 263 cal, Cholesterol 6 mg, Carbohydrate 3 g, Protein 5 g

EASY WALNUT BASIL PESTO



Easy Walnut Basil Pesto image

Simple walnut pesto you can make in your food processor.

Provided by Jasa

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

Time 15m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 6

¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups packed fresh basil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Pulse walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor until walnuts are finely chopped. Add basil leaves a little at a time, pulsing until a smooth paste forms. Mix in Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 102.9 calories, Carbohydrate 1.4 g, Cholesterol 2.2 mg, Fat 10.2 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.6 g, Sodium 38.9 mg, Sugar 0.2 g

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

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

WALNUT AND PARSLEY PESTO



Walnut and Parsley Pesto image

I hope this walnut and parsley version serves as a reminder that 'pesto' is not a recipe, but a technique. The buttery walnuts temper the fire of the mashed garlic and pair beautifully with the aromatic, bittersweet parsley. Use on toasted bread, pizza or pasta, or on roasted chicken--it's that versatile!

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Dips and Spreads Recipes

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ cup chopped raw walnuts
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
Juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
water, if needed

Steps:

  • Place garlic and salt in a mortar; smash and mash with the pestle until it becomes a paste, 5 to 8 minutes. Add walnuts; mash walnuts into a paste until you reach your desired texture (coarse or smoother), another 5 to 8 minutes. Add parsley and mash to break up and blend with the walnut/garlic mixture, about 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and olive oil; stir, mash, and emulsify liquids into the mixture until it becomes very thick and well blended, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If mixture seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water, or as needed.
  • Spread on bread, use on pizza or pasta, or on roasted chicken. The taste is just like garlic butter, so use it as such.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 84.9 calories, Carbohydrate 2.4 g, Fat 8.3 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 1.4 g, SaturatedFat 0.9 g, Sodium 77.6 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

BASIL-WALNUT PESTO



Basil-Walnut Pesto image

This is my favorite pesto recipe; rich but healthy due to "good" fats from olive oil and walnuts. It comes from "The Omega Diet." I usually freeze half the recipe for future use.

Provided by dahlia

Categories     Spreads

Time 12m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups packed basil leaves (approx. 2 oz)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Steps:

  • Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor.
  • Blend until thoroughly combined.
  • Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more.
  • Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.
  • Serve over pasta with bread and salad.

BASIL WALNUT PESTO



BASIL WALNUT PESTO image

Categories     Condiment/Spread     Herb     Quick & Easy

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 tbsp freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove
big squeeze of fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Pulse together basil and walnuts in a food processor (I used my mini one for this batch - easy clean up - but feel free to double the recipe if you're in need of a bigger batch). Add garlic and olive oil. Pulse again. Add cheese, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Pulse until just blended. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and pulse a few more times. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Add more olive oil before serving, if taken straight from the fridge.

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

Tips:

  • Use fresh basil for the best flavor. If you can't find fresh basil, you can use dried basil, but the flavor will be less intense.
  • Toast the walnuts before using them in the pesto. This will bring out their flavor and make them more fragrant.
  • Use a food processor or blender to make the pesto. This will help to create a smooth and creamy sauce.
  • If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can make the pesto by hand. Simply chop the basil, walnuts, garlic, and pine nuts very finely, then stir in the olive oil and cheese.
  • Store the pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Conclusion:

Pesto with walnuts is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes. It's perfect for pasta, chicken, fish, and vegetables. It can also be used as a spread for sandwiches or crackers. Pesto is a great way to add flavor and color to your meals. With its bright green color and nutty flavor, it's sure to be a hit with everyone at the table.

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