An easy homemade basil pesto recipe with walnuts is a fresh and vibrant twist on the classic sauce! Thick and flavorful sauce that goes great with pasta, sandwiches, veggies, and more.
BASIL PESTO RECIPE
Make this easy basil pesto sauce with walnuts! Swapping out the pine nuts for walnuts gives you all the usual pesto flavors, but it is a little more affordable. Have this delicious sauce ready in under 5 minutes with just a few simple ingredients. This chunky and flavored pesto sauce is great for tossing with pasta, spreading on sandwiches or pizza, or drizzling over veggies and meat!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Basil– The key ingredient in this sauce is the fresh basil leaves! You can also use a combination of basil and spinach, kale, parsley, and even arugula.
- Olive Oil– The olive oil is the liquid that thins out the sauce, giving you smooth consistency. For the best results, you want to use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Parmesan– I highly recommend that you use freshly grated parmesan cheese for this sauce. Pre-grated parmesan cheese will also work.
- Walnuts– Classic basil pesto calls for pine nuts, but this recipe uses walnuts! Using walnuts is cheaper and easier to get a hold of! If you want to make classic basil pesto, just swap the walnuts for pine nuts.
- Garlic– Fresh garlic cloves or jarred minced garlic can be used. I recommend that you use fresh garlic for the best flavors.
- Flavor– To season the pesto, this recipe calls for salt and pepper.
HOW TO MAKE BASIL PESTO RECIPE WITH WALNUTS
You can have this creamy pesto sauce ready in under 10 minutes!
- In a blender or immersion blender, add all the ingredients for the pesto into the blender.
- Pulse until the ingredients are blended and the mixture turns into a paste-like texture. (If it seems too dry, just add a little bit of oil at a time to thin it out.)
- Once you get a paste like sauce and transfer the sauce to a jar or container and store it in the fridge and enjoy as desired.
STORING PESTO
This homemade basil pesto recipe is such a great recipe to make ahead of time and store!
- Fridge– Store in a container or jar in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks!
- Freezer– This sauce freezes great! Add the sauce to a freezer safe plastic bag and freeze for up to 6 months!
| When you have a lot of basil to harvest, this recipe is GREAT to make and then freeze or store in the fridge, to avoid your fresh basil going to waste! |
WAYS TO ENJOY PESTO
There are so many ways to enjoy homemade basil pesto! Use it as a sauce, spread or toppings. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy walnut pesto:
- Pasta– Pesto pasta is top tier! Make this creamy chicken pesto pasta recipe for dinner! Toss some pesto sauce in this ground beef rotini pasta too!
- Pizza– You can’t go wrong with pesto pizza or flatbread! Use it as the main sauce or combine it with the marinara sauce for added flavors. I like adding it to Margherita Flatbread, it goes so well with tomatoes and mozzarella.
- Galette– Use this easy homemade basil pesto sauce in your savory galettes during the summer season! I use it as the base in this Tomato Burrata Galette recipe!
- Salad– Make a pesto pasta salad or toss some fresh cucumbers and tomatoes using the pesto as the dressing.
- Sandwiches– Using pesto sauce as a spread for your hot and cold sandwiches is a great way to use this sauce! Add additional flavor and sauce to your sandwiches. I love adding some to my breakfast sandwiches!
- Toast– Add pesto to your pizza toast or avocado toast for added flavors.
- Meats– Make pesto chicken or pesto salmon for a deliciously flavored dinner.
- Topping– This sauce is great to use as a topping! Top your veggies, bruschetta, or anything else.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
When basil is not in season, it can be hard to find so you can swap the basil out for spinach, kale, or even arugula. I like to make a mix of basil and spinach.
You can make this nut-free and swap the walnuts out for pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or even sunflower seeds!
If your pesto seems dry and thick, you want to add more oil to thin it up.
Yes! Add tomatoes, parsley or even sun-dried tomatoes(not oil-packed) to this pesto sauce for added flavors. If you like spice, add crushed red chili flakes to the sauce.
Yes, Parmesan cheese is a vital and traditional ingredient! It gives the sauce a nutty, savory flavor.
OTHER SAUCE RECIPES-
Check out all my other delicious sauces and condiments for homemade versions of all the popular sauces!
Basil Walnut Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh basil tightly packed
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 4 fresh garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Remove the leaves from the stems and rinse the fresh basil and re
- In a blender or food processor add in the basil leaves, olive oil, walnuts, garlic cloves, grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
- Mix until the pesto is well combined, and the mixture turns into a paste-like texture.
- Transfer the basil pesto to a jar or container and store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Serve when desired.
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