HEY PRESTO, 3 GREEN PESTO…
We love making pesto! Using a food processor, it’s so easy. With a rich base of nuts and Parmesan cheese, herbs, such as basil, rocket and peas, can become the star ingredients in your green pesto recipes. Try these out, put them on your pasta (for an easy meal), on crostini (for a great party snack) or even hand them out as gifts.
With pesto, even green pesto, the possibilities are endless. Use herbs, nuts and complimentary flavours interchangeably…
Looking at 3 different recipes, we explore just some of the possibilities of green pesto. A classic basil pesto (but made with cashews instead of pine nuts), a rocket and walnut pesto, and a pea and mint pesto are just some of what is on the menu. To summarise, pesto is;
- So ridiculously easy to make
- A lot of fun to make, especially when mixing and matching unique flavours!
- Packs a health and flavour punch in concentrated quantities
WHY PESTO?
Pesto is amazing for so many reasons. Besides being easy to make, it is utterly delicious. It also makes meal prep an absolute breeze. Cook up some pasta for a quick meal, add some to a toasted cheese to take it to the next level, or use it as a dip for chips, pita bread or crudités. Due to all ingredients generally being raw and ground into a dense paste, pesto is also a great source of concentrated vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, by mixing and matching the herbs, nuts, oils and complimentary flavours, a seemingly infinite number of unique pesto combinations can be created.
PESTO ELEMENTS
Pesto generally has 3 different elements. These are;
- The nut, cheese and oil base
- The star herb(s) or vegetable(s), such as basil, rocket, coriander and peas
- Complimentary flavours, such as garlic, ginger, chili and mint
The base of nuts can range from pine nuts in a traditional basil pesto, to walnuts in a rocket pesto. Virtually any nut can be used, including cashews, almonds and macadamia nuts. While Parmesan cheese is typically used, a range of other hard cheeses can also be utilised. Similarly, extra-virgin olive oil is most often used to emulsify the pesto. However, to create subtle flavour variations, other oils, such as grapeseed oil, pumpkin oil, avocado oil or almond oil can be substituted.
The star herb or vegetable and its complimentary ingredients are based on classic pairings. Think of garlic in basil pesto, or chili in a sun-dried tomato pesto. How about a zuchini and lemon combination? Here, the possibilities are endless. All that’s needed is a bit of logic, and perhaps some room for experimentation. Now, have fun!
Tip: Think of classic flavour combinations, such as peas, lemon and mint
3 GREEN PESTO RECIPES
To get you started, we’re looking at 3 green pesto recipes that are easy to make, versatile and utterly delicious. Which one will you make?
Classic Basil Pesto (with cashews)
This is an absolute classic! Basil is the star ingredient with garlic packing an extra flavour punch. As a cheaper alternative, cashews are used instead of the more traditional pine nuts. Extra-virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese serve as the base. Simply blitz all the ingredients in a food processor, carefully adding the oil for emulsification. See our full basil pesto recipe here.
Rocket & Walnut Pesto
Getting a bit more creative, here the pepperiness of the rocket acts as the perfect foil for the rich, yet slightly bitter walnut. Again, garlic is used as a complimentary flavour, with extra-virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese serving as the base. Simply place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse. It is best served on pasta, along with creamy ricotta or goats cheese, extra rocket leaves and a final sprinkling of chopped walnuts. See our full rocket and walnut pesto recipe here.
Pea & Mint Pesto
This pesto goes a little bit further in terms of experimentation. Instead of a traditional herb, a vegetable – the garden pea – serves as the star ingredient. Complimentary flavours include fresh mint and lemon juice. Cashew nuts, Parmesan cheese and extra-virgin olive oil form the base of the pesto. Like with all others, the ingredients are simply placed in a food processor and blitzed. Due to it being more substantial than a conventional pesto, it is fantastic served on crostini. See our full pea and mint pesto recipe here.
