Vegan Parsley Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

• Fresh flat-leaf parsley - Parsley is the star of the show in this pesto! I recommend using flat-leaf parsley as it's a bit easier to clean and is has a more robust flavor than its curly counterpart (often used for garnish).
• Extra virgin olive oil - Olive oil is an essential pesto ingredient and provides delicious flavor.
• Raw walnuts - Walnuts add texture and flavor to this pesto.
• Fresh garlic - Just a bit of garlic adds flavor and a slight bite.
• Lemon - Add a lovely bright flavor that complements the other ingredients.
• Salt - Enhances the overall flavor.

Substitutions & Variations

As I mentioned, this pesto recipe is a beautiful ratio of ingredients that can accommodate other herbs and nuts.

• Nuts - Try using brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, pine nuts, or pistachios instead of walnuts. You can also try pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version.
• Herbs - Cilantro, basil, or lemon basil are all lovely in this pesto. You can replace some of the parsley and use a combo or replace it entirely for a totally different variation!
• Garlic - If you're sensitive to the bite of raw garlic, you can mellow it out by slicing it and allowing it to sit in the lemon juice for a bit first. Alternatively, you can roast or sauté it to soften the sharpness of raw garlic, as well as add more flavor to your pesto.

Instructions

Step 1: Add the parsley to your food processor along with the walnuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

Step 2: Blend until all the ingredients are well-combined and form a uniform consistency. It won't be perfectly smooth, but the parsley and walnut bits should be chopped up very evenly and finely, and the pesto should be thick, yet pourable.

And that's it! Pesto is that easy. Now, you've got parsley walnut pesto, ready to top anything from sandwiches to pasta, grilled meat or fish, roasted veggies... the options are endless.

Flavor-enhancing Tip: To double down on flavor, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet until fragrant. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before blending them up with the other pesto ingredients.

Storage

Store leftover fresh parsley pesto in a jar or airtight container in your fridge for up to a week. If you don't use it all up, not to worry, because pesto is super easy to freeze!

You can freeze your pesto for up to three months in small mason jars, or even in ice cube trays. After the pesto is completely frozen into cubes, simply transfer them to an airtight reusable zip-top bag or storage container. Whenever you need pesto, thaw out as many cubes as you need!

Parsley Pesto Serving Ideas

Pesto has endless uses -- typically we have no trouble using it up at our house! Here are some ideas:

• Simple pesto pasta salad with chicken (packed with salty olives and sun-dried tomatoes)
• Pesto roasted potatoes (a simple but flavorful side dish)
• With hard-boiled eggs on toast (simple, but truly addicting)
• Drizzled over grilled or roasted veggies
• Slathered onto sandwiches
• With grilled meats or fish
• On pizza as the main sauce or as a drizzle to finish! These quick and easy Greek pita pizzas would be delicious with some pesto.

Pesto FAQs

Did you make this parsley walnut pesto recipe? Don't forget to leave a star rating 🌟 and comment below, and tag me on Instagram and Pinterest so I can see what you made!