I have so much basil sitting in my garden I just had to make this Walnut Pesto!
Why walnut you ask? Well it’s because I couldn’t find pine nuts and I really wanted some pesto. I had remember reading online a while ago that you could substitute pine nuts for walnuts. So I figured I would give it a try! I have actually only made pesto using pine nuts before I tried it this way. There is a huge difference in color. I was expecting a really sharp green color, like you normally see but as I added the walnuts my pesto became darker and darker. I was really worried about what my hubby would say. Would he like it? Would he not? Well he gave it two thumbs up!
So being in an half Italian household there are some basic ingredients we MUST have in the house. Extra virgin olive oil, grana padano or parmigiano reggiano cheese and herbs! These are staples in our house. The only other ingredients added to this pesto were the walnuts and garlic. If you are wondering what grana padano is it is a similar cheese to parmigiano reggiano (which is what is the most common in the U.S.A.) Grana, as we call it here in our house, is a local cheese that is made in the region of Italy where my husband comes from. The block you see in the pictures is actually the last we have that Nonni brought to us when they visited this summer.
I store my pesto in the refrigarator in a glass jar. Just make sure you have it completely submerged in extra virgin olive oil. This keeps it preserved and fresh for you. Whenever I want to use it I just spoon out what I need. Make it nice and leveled again and add a little bit more oil to the top. Just enough to cover the presto. Remember when I baked these cookies for a last minute lunch for my husbands work? Well it was a good thing I had this pesto on hand because I was able to throw this over a box of pasta and had a gourmet meal ready in under 30 minutes!
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Walnut Pesto (pesto di noci)
Ingredients
- 6 cups of fresh basil leaves
- 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup grano padano cheese or parmigiano reggiano cheese grated
- 2 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a food processor combine the basil, walnuts, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil. Pulse a few times to get the ingredients mixed together.
- Add cheese and pulse the processor twice.
- Continue to add olive oil as you pulse the processor till your presto is almost runny.
- Store in a glass jar and ENJOY!
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Julia
I love walnuts in my pesto sauce! They are so healthy and cost less than pine nuts. The only thing that inhibits me from making basil pesto more often is not having my own basil plants. It is rather expensive to buy enough fresh basil at the grocery store.
Nancy P.
Yes it can be so expensive to buy. One plant during the season would be enough to make a small batch of pesto and it something you can grow in a window seal as well! It just needs sunlight!
crazyforcrust
Mmmm, I love pesto. With any nut! Walnuts make it fabulous!
Nancy P.
I really liked the flavor of this one! Thanks Dorothy!
Allie | Baking A Moment
I love the idea of a walnut pesto! It sounds a maybe a little heartier and great for fall. Like you get a little sweet summer basil, plus a little rich walnut. I don’t know why but for some reason I associate walnuts with the cooler months. And I’m so jealous that you get big blocks of Grana straight from the source! I wish! Great recipe, and gorgeous pics!
tanya
I love homemade pesto! I have one little basil plant and I think I’ll be using it for this pesto! I love the walnut, bet the flavor is much deeper!
Nancy P.
Yes the walnut makes it more earthy!
Mr. & Mrs. P
We have so much growing also!!! Need to make some of this pesto asap!!..
Nancy P.
I am about to make some more!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
How did I never think to put walnuts in pesto?! So much cheaper than pine nuts and I bet it tastes so amazing!
Nancy P.
So much cheaper for sure! Thanks Ashley!
Rachel
And if you want to make a HUGE batch (to use up basil at the end of Summer) you can freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray then store the cubes in a Ziplock in your freezer to use all year long!
Nancy P.
I totally did this with basil and olive oil last year but not my pesto! I am ready to make a huge batch and get this done! Thanks for the tip Rachel!
Gloria // Simply Gloria
Loving this recipe with the walnuts. My husband would definitely love having this! I love when our hubbies give us the two thumbs up! (=
Nancy P.
Hubbies are the best!!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
I would toss this with linguine, tomatoes and mozzarella in a heartbeat! What a yummy idea for a pesto!
Nancy P.
Definitely tossed it over a many of pastas since making it! Thanks Georgia!
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker
Walnut adds a great richness to this pesto…I love it!! Would make any pasta delicious 🙂
Nancy P.
Thanks Zainab!
Jocelyn
Thanks for the tip! I love pesto, and this just sounds fabulous!!
Nancy P.
I could eat it just about every day! Thanks Jocelyn!!
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer
I wish I had extra basil laying around! My no green thumb sucks at times! It is kind of funny you used walnuts, I find out here, walnuts have actually gotten pricier than pine nuts!!
Courtney @ NeighborFood
I would love to slather some of this on a nice big sandwich!
Amy @ A Healthy Life For Me
Love that you used walnuts instead of pine nuts, way more affordable.
Michelle | A Latte Food
Walnut pesto is such a brilliant idea! I would seriously love some of this on my next panini!
Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner
I love making my own pesto… I’ll need to give it a try with walnuts!
Cate | Chez CateyLou
Pesto is so good, and I actually prefer it with walnuts!! I think I could eat this by the spoonful!
Andi @ The Weary Chef
I never would have thought of using walnuts in pesto, but it sounds delicious, Nancy!