Easy Walnut Pesto
With a rich, nutty twist on classic basil pesto, this summery 6-ingredient, 5-minute walnut pesto is quick, easy, and irresistible with pasta, sandwiches, and more!
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 small cloves)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and salt.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Video
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients: I highly recommend fresh, bright green basil, high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, good walnuts, etc.
- For deeper flavor: Toast the walnuts until fragrant.
- To adjust the texture: Pulse the walnut pesto until chunky, smooth-ish, or completely smooth. Also, adjust the oil (or water) for a thicker/thinner pesto.
- Don’t over-blend: Otherwise, the basil and walnut pesto may become overly runny, bitter, or murky.