I love me some Pesto! And it’s become a staple on our cheese platters, pastas and salads. My main gripe with the popularisation of pesto is that its so easy to grab a $6 tub from the supermarket that is packed with fat and preservatives and to be honest doesn’t taste all that great. Also it is SO EASY to make at home especially if you have a food processor.
I love this recipe as it takes away a lot of of the heavy oil but still holds that amazing herby salty taste of traditional pesto. It’s a pesto that packs that flavour punch (which I’m all about) but the slight variation of adding the avocado gives you the creaminess without the preservatives and nasty fats.
You can make a ‘cleaner’ version of this by cutting out the oil and cheese completely, but for me I really enjoy the taste of those things so have kept it in but only adding very small amounts of each.
What You Will Need:
1 x bunch of Basil
1/2 x large Avocado (smashed or mashed with a fork)
3 x teaspoons of Pine Nuts
3 x teaspoons of Walnuts
3 x teaspoons of Olive Oil
3 x teaspoons of grated Parmesan Cheese
1 x large clove garlic
1/2 lemon rind (finely grated)
Salt and Pepper
Make It Happen:
1/ Place basil and nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and combined.
2/ Add in smashed avocado, garlic, cheese, lemon rind and olive oil, pulse to combine until it is a smooth texture.
3/ Season well with salt and pepper and serve.
Serve with chicken or lamb or use in a pasta dish.
Could I put this in a jar and keep in my fridge for when I want to use it or will it not keep very well?
Kris I make different pestos all the time and as long as you ensure the pesto is covered with olive oil, and stored in an airtight jar, it will keep very well. I just take out spoonfuls as I need it and drain away any excess olive oil from the actual pesto I am using. I spread it on bread, mix it into pasta, over meat etc. Hope this helps.