Who says pesto has to be made with basil? Instead try this fun herby and wildly tasty Parsley Pesto made with leftover parsley, walnuts, cheese and olive oil.
One thing I hate about buying fresh herbs? I always have so much leftover! It happens every single time!
I buy a bunch of cilantro and end up only using about 1/3 of it. Or hey I need thyme for this recipe and only use a few twigs. This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of parsley but I somehow have a whole parsley plant left in my fridge! UGH dangit these first world problems!
And if you know me, you know I absolutely HATE letting food go to waste. It’s one of those things that hurts me to my core and has even been known to make me cry. There are too many people I know who don’t have enough to eat, so yea wasting food hurts.
As of late I’ve been working on finding creative ways to use up spices. Sadly this does not include adding extra spices to regular means because I live with a toddler who can see the color green a mile away and a husband who is not a fan of green garnishes.
Instead I took to Senor Google and did some research, here is what I found…
- Sage, thyme, rosemary – Freeze them
- Cilantro – Make chimichurri or cilantro avocado dressing
- Parsley – Make parsley pesto
These 3 simple things have saved so many of my leftover herbs!!!!!! YAY!!!! Freezing thyme and rosemary has been awesome because they are actually easier to pick off the stem when they are frozen. Plus I now always have tasty herbs to add to meals like coq au vin or pot roasts.
Making chimichurri is such a no brainer especially as we approach grilling season! There is nothing better than a grilled steak or nicely barbecued chicken with a bright green cilantro chimichurri. And of course, my cilantro avocado dressing which is fabulous over any vegetable or salad.
And my favorite, because leftover parsley is always the death of me, PARSLEY PESTO!
This stuff is pure gold. I mean the flavor it packs is WOW! Plus it’s super basic to make which is awesome-sauce.
Just take your leftover parsley. I used a little more than half a bunch (roughly stemmed) mixed with 2 garlic cloves, handful of walnuts, a hearty drizzle of olive oil, Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast, a little lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blitzed it in a food process and done.
A pesto that is incredibly flavorful and very versatile. I’ve been using it lately as more of a salad dressing and sauce for roasted vegetables, but it is also incredible as a spread on sandwiches, on grilled meats, dolloped over chicken soup or as a sauce for pasta.
If you end up making a lot of this stuff, have no fear you can freeze it! Either in containers or for smaller portion options in ice cube trays with a little extra olive oil on top. Woot woot Parsley Pesto for life
Yields Makes about 2 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed, stemmed Italian parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for dairy-free/vegan option)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place parsley, garlic, walnuts, cheese (or nooch), and lemon juice in a food processor or powerful blender.
- Pulse until well combined.
- Gradually pour in olive oil while processing just until the oil is combined (about 20 seconds).
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
Pesto can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days or frozen with a drizzle of olive oil over the top.
Originally posted 2018-04-24 09:29:00.
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