You know how it’s nearly impossible to ever have just one potato chip, or just one M&M? The term slippery slope must have been coined from this very dilemma. One turns awfully quick to two, three, and then whooops, that once full bag is suspiciously empty. At this point, I’m usually quietly looking around to see how swiftly and inconspicuously I can bury the evidence.
The other night this precise scenario took place, not with a bag of chips or M&M’s, but with a batch of homemade walnut pesto. I had my first bite of walnut pesto at a local Island restaurant where its served alongside a heavenly antipasto plate. Walnut pesto is the more laid back, country cousin of the traditional pesto. Walnuts are not as fancy (or pricey) as pine nuts, and they leave their own distinctive crunchy mark behind.
Being such a long time pesto fanatic, I am happy to report I may never have to buy another bag of pine nuts again. This walnut pesto is dangerously addictive and my new favorite. Perfect in sandwiches or with pasta, though I love it best on its own – smeared on thin slivers of a toasted baguette. Lethal stuff, I tell ya. And it’s a little harder to bury the evidence when there’s an empty glass jar involved.
WALNUT PESTO
Kiss My Spatula’s version of the walnut pesto from the Four Swallows
Walnuts can be stored up to 6 months in a sealed air tight container in the refrigerator. They can go rancid very quickly when left in warm conditions.
Music Pairing: Selfish Jean, Travis
Ingredients
- 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
Method
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.
This was so on my radar to make this week, how funny! I didn’t think there was any way to go wrong with walnut based pesto- glad its the truth! Can’t wait to whip up a batch
Just from your description, I know that I’m already hooked. I will be definitely be making this and finding many uses for this (or just eating it straight off the spoon).
hi cookin’ canuck – staight off the spoon is something i am guilty of. :)
Am trying this recipe this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
That’s a beautiful photo, and a delicious looking pesto!
Lovely picture! I’m also a big fan of pesto and different twists to the recipe.
looks great! love your photo!
I think pine nuts are overrated!! I use almonds instead, but I agree, walnuts give a lovely earthy flavor to the pesto. Try walnut and rocket…
hi nina – i will have to try it with almonds too. thanks for the tip!
Sounds delicious. Never tried walnut pesto before, I’d like to give your recipe a try. Beautiful picutre by the way.
Your walnut pesto both looks and sounds fabulous, sadly, husband is allergic to walnut….what’s a girl to do (besides making a jar and eating all oneself)?
hi jamie – oh, the dilemna! well, i guess you will just have to make the great sacrifice and move forward without your hubby on this one! :)
Wow. What an absolutely stunning photo. I’m sure the pesto is good, but your photography skills are amazing.
awwh, thanks so much for the sweet comment. i’m glad i can provide a little food candy for your day – that makes me happy.
I am not a pesto person much but this one looks gorgeous really nice and light and infused with colour. thnks .. and if you’d like to visit me I am at Rico|Recipes :) xx
Gorgeous photo! Almost too pretty to eat.
Pesto is one of my favorite sauces! so much flavor to it. I have to agree with oneordinaryday about your photo, it looks beautiful!
Wow love love love your recipes! Awesome blog, really! :)
thank you, laetitia! hope you report back as you try the recipes…
Beautiful, just beautiful.
oh boy… so last year for xmas I pulled out some homemade pesto that i had made in the fall with my last harvest of basil from the garden; at the time i was taking cooking classes & the teach informed us that it would easily last in the freezer till winter….. so that is what i did & i felt pretty good about that, impressing guests – all that good stuff – plus the taste of fresh basil in the middle of a cold ohio winter – i was a hero in my own head – now i read your post and once again I am so humbled… keep up the amazing posts! cause i am also inspired.
oh, that sound you hear is me kicking stones with my shoes, my head pointing towards the ground as i walk down the street thinking how once again kissmyspatula is just too much!!!!
kidding about the kicking stones – sort of, kind of, ya not really..
hi kev – i can’t hear the kicking stones because i’m blushing too much from your comment. you are way too sweet and i’m feeling not deserving. i will be stealing your tip on freezing the pesto – brilliant idea – and plan on hoarding a few batches at the end of the season to stock up for winter ’09.
I always have walnuts around here!! Yay for walnut pesto! I’m looking forward to trying this one.
Laura
I love tha walnut pesto recipe.
I’ve always made the traditional, but now that you mention how great it is, I may just have to switch it up!
Thanks for sharing the recipe, and I love your picture, congrats that it was on tastespotting!
hi jenn – yes, i was so happy to switch it up and discover what i had been missing for so long. do let me know if you end up trying it out!
I’ve got all the ingredients. Can’t wait to make this!
hi carmen – that’s what i loved about it…having all the ingredients at the house with no need to run out for anything extra!
When I tried to make my own pesto the first time, I couldn’t find pine nuts anywhere (that was before I moved to a city), so I used walnuts instead. I’ve been making it that way ever since. Try toasting the nuts first. Really yummy!!
What a lovely picture, walnuts are also so healthy
I think I may even be able to make this! How impressive will I look to my family!!! They will be so happy to be eating something other than pasta and red sauce. This is a fantastic blog. The best cooking blog I’ve come across. Keep it up!
welcome, sharlene and thank you so much! can you feel me blushing? well, i am. i hope your family enjoys the pesto and will definitely be impressed with you (they never have to know how easy it is)! ;) let me know how it turns out!
I’m imagining this served with so many things! Sounds super yummy!
Oh, you know I have to try making pesto – signs tell me so! Walnuts please me more than pinenuts… Hmm. Can’t wait.
Your photos are fantastic, I mentioned this before. But look at that pesto sauce in the jar, fresh flowers… and even the texture of that table cloth! Every detail in the photo compliment each other, and satisfy this lil visual person. I’m glad we have you.
from one ‘lil visual person to another – thank you, my dear. let me know how your first pesto turns out. the signs are everywhere! :)
yumm yumm!! ye walnut pesto looking fabulous.. cant wait to try this out.. btw nice shot.. keep it up!! :)
cheers!!
Very beautiful picture and I love the use of walnut for your pesto!
I love walnuts and I love pesto a perfect combination. I have made it this way with no pine nuts and it is delish. I generally like to add a combination of the two as it lends a nice depth of flavor. Thanks for sharing and your pesto pic is divine!
combo of the two sounds like a great idea as well. will have to give that a try!
I have not revisited walnut pesto in a long time. Sort of what I used years ago; when I was learning to cook. Always looking for alternatives for the traditional recipe. The pine nuts in Toronto these days seem to be old, expensive and soapy tasting! Another thought, my niece in the States makes pesto with hazelnuts…awesome!! The recipe we switched to a while back.
I LOVE pesto made with nuts! Your presentation is awesome – I LOVE the addition of the flowers.
That walnut pesto looks good. I am going to have to try walnuts in my next pesto.
Since I have never been all that impressed with the pine nuts, I will have to give this version a try. I just found a recipe for sage pesto, so I can throw some walnuts in there instead of the pine nuts. I will have to give this one a try as well!
I adore pesto and its so simple yours looks great
Mmm, this looks scrumptious! You know, I really prefer walnut pesto over the traditional. The walnuts are so mellow and crunchy.
Btw, your photos are stunning. Absolutely stunning.
the diva on a diet – thank you for the kind comment! i love the nuttiness and earthiness of walnuts too.
Looks amazing & I will try. I’ve been using walnut oil & grapeseed oil a lot lately for my salad dressings & find them much lighter & just as tasty as olive oil. HOw do you think other types of oil will work in pesto? Beautiful pics!!
MMMMMM….your walnut pestoo looks so green & lovely! Thanks for visting my foodblog recently so that I could discover yours!
I also have a similar recipe from Bill Granger!
You have a cool foodblog!!
Great pictures too!
And when you think of it, try a pesto with pea shoots and/or spinach… subtler than basil, but also great this time of year.
-Jennifer
I love your pictures! Walnut Pesto looks delicious.
Thanks for putting this out there. We made it tonight for paninis and it was delicious.
Just found your blog searching for pesto with walnuts instead of the usual pine..am going to do it right now.Love your blog!ciao from Rome
Just stumbled across this while looking for a pretty pesto picture for a cookbook I’m putting together for my mom.
I’ve made Barefoot Contessa’s pesto and love it… This mini batch – sans pine nuts – is something I can whip up right now! Well, I’ll have to sub my Purple Basil instead… I wonder how funky that will look!
Off to make a late lunch!
Thanks so much for sharing… & great photo!
~Em
Found your walnut pesto recipe, made it from my abundant crop of basil, delicious!! I’m enjoying working my way through your blog and will be inspired by your gorgeous photos to try more recipes. Can’t wait to make zucchini crudo from the zukes taking over my yard. Thank you!
Hi Sidsie – so happy you enjoyed it! And let me know how your crudo turns out too! xo.
Hello
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe. I spontaneously bought an awful lot of basil this evening and thought about walnut pesto, so made a batch. Delish! My first pesto-making experiment was great! It was also my first experience of using measuring cups…so easy, golly, I must get some before returning to the UK! Cheers.
YAY! Ali – So happy to hear your first batch of pesto went so smoothly and deliciously! xo.
Made this yesterday and everything you say is true! Just stirred some into some white beans and chopped heirloom tomatoes! Awesome!
[…] walnut pesto was simple. It’s a recipe that I picked up from Kiss My Spatula. And then I gathered what veggies I hadn’t yet used this week and did a quick sauté in olive […]
I just want you to know that I’ve used this recipe many, many times. I love it! It’s just enough.
I made it for New Year’s Eve to use in appetizers…everyone LOVED it! I also like your photo…it’s so pretty.
Carmen
I just did a taste taste between Walnut/Parsley/Cilantro vs Pinenut/Basil pestos.
The result was deliciousness; but a winner couldn’t be picked out. The Walnut flavor profile is a little more “nutty” and earthy – counter balanced by sharper green choice. Also, the walnuts – when beaten up – seem to add a little bit of their own oil; something that the pinenuts didn’t seem to do. Also, the salt I added came out more with the walnut batch – the basil blended smoother with the salt, IMO.
I’ve been told of spinach pesto, but haven’t tried it yet.
Anyway, good to know that pesto is being made.
Just made this today and followed the recipe exactly. It’s fantastic! I will be making this again for sure. Thank you for the recipe!
I just made this Saturday and my family cannot stop singing its’ praises. It was such a great way to use the basil in our garden and the walnuts add such a unique flavor and crunch afterwards! I substituted Gapeseed Oil for olive oil, which really helps the flavor of the walnuts and basil come out even more!
So happy it was a hit, Carlyn! And great idea with the grapeseed oil.
Have you ever toasted the walnuts before adding them? Just wondering if that would change the taste at all.
How long does this last? Thinking christmas gifts- but wanted to know when to make it to give to the person.
[…] followed this recipe from Kiss My Spatula – one of my new culinary blog obsessions – to get the ratio of […]
I always have walnuts in my freezer since I buy bags of shelled walnut pieces at Trader Joe’s. I added a small amount of parsley and a bit of fresh oregano because I had it on hand. With a green salad and a glass of wine, this pesto was perfect receiving raves from my dinner guest.
you have saved me a tonne of money by not having to buy pine nuts! my question – can i freeze this? i’m going to make a crazy amount of pesto (i have 3 LARGE basil plants + i love pesto) so, i want to put a lot of it away in my freezer for the winter. i have read elsewhere to leave out the cheese and freeze – thoughts?
re: ‘You know how it’s nearly impossible to ever have just one potato chip, or just one M&M?’
Oh yes… my slippery sope is spoonfuls of peanut butter…
I must try walnut pesto though, usually I find the pine nuts of normal pesto a bit overpowering, I think I would prefer the walnut version.
Andrea
[…] walnut & basil pesto which is (I modified KMS’ version by way of Four […]
Sounds great! I’ll have to try it.
great recipe – I thought I had pine nuts at home when I bought the ingredients for pesto. Oops – walnuts would have to do – found your recipe and, with confident gusto, made a double batch. Delish. Thanks!
Hi there! Was just googling walnut pesto and came upon your blog. Just made this recipe and it isfantastic, thanks so much! Im pinning and resharing on facebook. Blessings. :)
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We love this recipe! Made it last year and are about to spend a morning making batches to freeze. We love the taste of summer in the fall and winter. Recently made your homemade ranch dressing. Loved the flavor, but would like to thicken it. Any suggestions on how to thicken without changing the delicious fresh flavor? Want to try your whole wheat bread soon. It sounds delicious and easy!
Thank you for sharing all your lovely, inspiring photos and yummy recipes.
Nancy