If you’ve been following me for a while, especially on Instagram, you will know by now how much I love pesto. I put pesto on just about everything, sometimes on normal meals like pasta or pizza, and sometimes on not-so-normal meals like frittatas or tacos. Homemade pesto is about a gazillion times yummier than anything you’ll get in a store. The fresh herbs and garlic really make a world of difference. Thanks to my mama for teaching me years ago how to make pesto!
basil walnut pesto
In this post, I will share three different ways to make homemade pesto. My go-to is a basil-walnut pesto. A traditionalist will say that pesto should have basil and pine nuts. While delicious, I stopped purchasing pine nuts a while ago due to their expense and have found walnuts to be a delightful replacement. My pesto also includes lemon, which a traditionalist may, again, disagree with, but I think the citrusy brightness is unparalleled. The lemon also helps keep the leftover pesto bright and green, too!
Homemade Basil-Walnut Pesto Recipe:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 2-3 cloves garlic (2 big or 3 small)
- Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, or substitute nutritional yeast to make vegan
Directions: Pulse all ingredients in a food processor. For a chunkier pesto, use less olive oil. For a smoother pesto, use more olive oil or a splash of water.
mexican pepita pesto
The second homemade pesto is a new fave: Mexican pesto with cilantro and pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds). This is a pesto that goes well slathered on everything Taco Tuesday-related. I tried it for the first time on a mahi mahi fish taco, and it was a total game changer! Other ideas could be in a quesadilla (!), on top of enchiladas, or a big ol’ dollop on top of your burrito bowl. Or how about on top of a breakfast Mexican scramble?!
Mexican Pepita Pesto Recipe:
- 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Topped with cotija cheese
Directions: Pulse all ingredients in a food processor. For a chunkier pesto, use less olive oil. For a smoother pesto, use more olive oil. Top with cotija cheese!
creamy citrus avocado pesto
Lastly, the third homemade pesto is a creamy citrus avocado pesto. And when I say creamy, I mean CREAMY. This one is so rich and delicious due to an entire avocado plus olive oil blended in to it. I put this on a lentil pasta, but would recommend with any sort of pasta, especially a shell or rotini so the yummy pesto could get into all its nooks and crannies. I would also love this one on top of a big hunk of fish, mixed with roasted veggies, on top of an egg omelet, or as a mayo substitute on a sandwich!
Creamy Citrus Avocado Pesto Recipe:
- 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 medium ripe avocado
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast to make it vegan
Directions: Pulse all ingredients in a food processor. For a chunkier pesto, use less olive oil. For a smoother pesto, use more olive oil.
Hope you enjoy these three homemade pesto recipes! Let me know if you’ve tried any other pesto varieties!
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