Pesto is one of the most versatile spreads. You can put it on pizza, potatoes, or pasta. It is delicious as a dip or straight off a spoon into your mouth! Traditional pesto is made with basil, pinenuts, and Asiago cheese. However, some ingredients are not always readily available or are just too darn expensive (I’m looking at you $10 pine nuts and you $7 super small wedge of Asiago cheese).
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This recipe provides you with various substitutions you can use to make pesto in different seasons and at different budgets. Use garlic scapes in the spring and early summer and then garlic cloves when they mature later in summer and fall. Another way to keep this spread seasonal is to try various greens when they are available. In the spring, try mustard greens, garlic mustard (forage yourself!), spinach, or arugula. In the summer, use basil, and in the fall, kale adapts well. Note the different flavors that you will get from these greens, each is delicious in its own way.
Mild: spinach, basil
Spicy: mustard greens, garlic mustard, arugula
Bitter: different types of kale
I don’t usually like to recommend small appliances since each cook has their own style and you don’t want something cluttering up your kitchen counter, but if there is just one appliance you keep around, make it a food processor. I use mine several times a week to shred or chop vegetables, and it is ESSENTIAL for making pesto. This will allow you to whip up large batches in mere minutes. I have both this 14 cup Cuisinart Food Processor and this small Cuisinart Food Mini-Prep Processor. Both were wedding gifts over 13 years ago and they are working just as well as the day I got them with regular use. The small one is perfect to make a quick small batch of pesto, while the larger one will allow you to make big portions for freezing. The larger processor is a total splurge, so if you are getting married in the near future, go put it on your wedding registry right now!
Speaking of freezing, the best way to freeze pesto is to portion it out into an ice cube tray. I like this silicone version since it is much easier to pop out the contents than a rigid tray. After they are frozen, transfer to a silicone bag for airtight storage long term (will keep for up to 6 months without freezer burn in these bags).
Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch spinach, kale (ribs removed), or basil
- 1/4 cup Walnuts or pinenuts
- 1 clove Garlic or 2 garlic scapes
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Asiago or parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest or to taste
Instructions
- Place clean spinach, kale, or basil into bowl of food processor along with nuts and garlic, and process until well chopped and combined. Scrape down sides of bowl and ,if necessary, pulse once or twice more.
- With motor running, drizzle olive oil into the chopped spinach and blend until emulsified, about a minute. Scrape down sides, add the salt, and pulse twice more to mix.
- If you want to freeze your pesto for later use, stop at this point of the recipe and store your pesto in a small, well-sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer. When you are ready to serve your pesto, stir in the cheese and lemon zest.
