Easy Walnut Pesto Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my walnut pesto bitter? ›

Some nuts, walnuts in particular, are notorious for leaving a bitter aftertaste, especially if they have been poorly stored. If your garlic is past its best, it may still be salvageable, but you should take extra care to remove the green "germ" from the middle of each clove, as these can be very bitter.

Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you'd like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.

Walnuts are one of the more popular substitutes for pine nuts because they are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and they add a delicious, nutty flavor to the pesto.

Combine basil, walnuts, Parmesan, oil, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Cover; process until nearly smooth. If needed, add water, a tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency.

Anything sugary will work: granulated white sugar, honey, fruit juices, even sweet dessert wines. Acid in the form of vinegar or citrus juices can make a pesto taste less bitter and could even enhance the flavour of the sauce at the same time.

Preparation. Bring four to five cups of water to a boil in a wok. Place walnuts in boiling water for five minutes to remove bitter taste.

Homemade basil pesto is a wonderfully versatile and tasty sauce/spread made from a handful of flavorful ingredients. It comes together in minutes and tastes worlds better than store-bought because it's so fresh.

Italian pine nuts are considered the finest in the world and are therefore eye-wateringly expensive. To make cost savings, many big producers source their pine nuts from China. Not a big issue, you might think, but these pine nuts are notorious for leaving a metallic aftertaste for some people, and that can last weeks.

Pesto can be a bit on the chunky side, or almost like a uniform green paste. It really comes down to personal preferences or what you're using it for, but smoother pesto yields a better flavour and greener colour throughout whatever you toss it through.

Pesto Sauce

This fresh and fragrant pasta sauce is served uncooked, so choose a pasta shape that won't overwhelm it. Similar to oil-based sauces, pesto is served best with longer cuts of pasta, like the corkscrew shape of Fusilli. Pesto works best with Bucatini, Capellini, thinner Spaghettini, and Fettuccine.

What is the best nut for pesto? ›

The key nut ingredient in pesto sauce is typically pine nuts, renowned for their distinct nutty taste. They are combined with fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil to craft the signature flavor of pesto.

How Long Does Pesto Last? This easy basil pesto sauce will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container.

It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Pesto can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months. I suggest dividing it into the compartments of an ice cube tray and freezing. Once frozen, remove the cubes from the tray and put in a sealable plastic bag or airtight container.

A few black spots that aren't moldy or slimy doesn't make it totally unusable, but it isn't very appealing to eat. If the basil has many spots, I don't recommend making the pesto. Is pesto always made with basil? Pesto is not a recipe; it is a way of preparing food: smashing ingredients to a mush.

Once opened, a jar of pesto lasts in the fridge for three days without any dramatic loss of quality. It will be perfectly safe for another two days, but leave it any longer, and its quality will decline to the point that it will no longer be enjoyable to eat.

“Extra-virgin olive oil contains bitter tasting polyphenols coated by fatty acids, which prevent them from dispersing. If the oil is emulsified in a food processor, these polyphenols get squeezed out and the liquid mix turns bitter.

Soaking walnuts can also reduce their bitterness. This makes them more palatable and enjoyable to eat, especially for those who may find the bitterness unpleasant.

If your pesto taste bitter, it is probably your olive oil. Since olive oil is an integral ingredient, you must use a quality extra virgin olive oil.

Spoilage is accelerated even more in the presence of light, oxygen, and heat. Storing nuts (and seeds) in the fridge or freezer limits their exposure to all three of these, and will result in your nuts tasting less bitter and more flavorful for a longer period of time.