This Basil Walnut pesto is a healthy take on the classic version. Its vibrant, earthy, creamy, aromatic and fragrant! Pair it with your favorite pasta or layer it on wraps and sandwiches. Swirl it in to hummus and enjoy with pita chips and veggies. Thin it out with extra lemon juice and olive oil, and you have an excellent salad dressing, endless possibilities! Versatile condiment and comes together in just a few minutes!
Ingredients
2 cups packed fresh basil, thicker stems removed
1 cup walnuts, toasted
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted*
2-3 large garlic cloves
2 tsp of lemon zest
4 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
In a small skillet or pan, toast the walnuts over low-medium heat. Set aside.
Similarly, toast the pine nuts in same pan and set aside.
Into the food processor or blender, add the walnuts and pine nuts along with the salt and freshly ground black pepper and pulse till the nuts seem coarsely ground and roughly combined.
Next, add garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and basil leaves, then blend/pulse until roughly combined.
Add the olive oil and pulse/blend till pesto consistency is formed. Ideally, if possible add the olive oil little by little, through a steady stream while the machine is running, stop in between and scrape down the sides if needed.
If it requires more liquid then you can add more olive oil or simply add water 1 tablespoon at a time till the desired consistency is reached.
Taste test and adjust flavors as per your need, you could add more salt and pepper or lemon juice if needed.
Transfer it to an airtight glass jar/container and refrigerate up to 1 week, make sure to pour olive oil over the top of the pesto to cover it so that none of the basil is in contact with the air and stays fresh.
My Notes
You can swap the pine nuts for ¼ cup more of the walnuts.
You can add 2-3 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast or Parmesan Cheese and stir it in at the end for extra cheesiness.
Every time you use the pesto from the refrigerator, make sure to top the jar with little olive oil to cover the pesto surface, the olive oil acts as a protective layer and prevents the fresh basil walnut pesto from spoiling too fast.
To store it for a longer period of time, you can pour it into ice cube tray and freeze it for couple of months.
Recipe by at https://www.urbancilantro.com/easy-vegan-basil-walnut-pesto/