Homemade Rosemary And Walnut Pesto

This super tasty rosemary and walnut pesto is rich and aromatic and the perfect pesto for the winter months when you want something a bit stronger than the standard basil variety.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• For anyone who likes flavour this rosemary pesto is robust and packed with flavour to tingle those taste buds
• Rosematry and walnut pesto is super easy to make in a matter of minutes
• You can’t buy this amazing rosemary pesto in the shops!

Many people think of rosemary only as a winter herb. Her robust flavour and ability to dance with the heavyweights like roast lamb, beef and hearty root veggies tends to tuck this herb neatly into the cooler weather box of kitchen classics.

But I love rosemary whatever the season, and when, like now she is decked out in all her summer finely with tiny blue blossoms like Christmas ornaments highlighting her prickles I just have to keep picking and use her in as many ways as possible.

Making rosemary and walnut pesto is just one of them.

Pesto

One of my favourite ways to use this herby delight is to make rosemary and walnut pesto. I can use it now and also pop into the freezer to enjoy later in the year.

Pestos are so simple to make, but many folks fall into the trap of just thinking there is only one sort available – the ubiquitous dull green basil pesto found in all supermarkets.

This is such a shame as you can whip up your own pesto using a huge variety of ingredients. You will end up with something that will add that all-important flash of flavour to all sorts of dishes.

I love pesto so much I wrote an Ebook about it – A Passion For Pesto.

With over 75 super easy recipes for all sorts of pestos from herbal to veggies and even using weeds. I also make sweet fruit pestos for desserts. And there are recipes for how to use your delicious pesto creations too.

Strong on flavour

This rosemary and walnut pesto is not for the faint hearted who like their pesto bland.

This is one gutsy lady packed with robust flavours and more of a pesto puttanesca! She is full of passion and vitality, you will not forget her in a hurry.

Ingredients for rosemary and walnut pesto

Rosemary – this delightful herb is the star of the show here. Use fresh rosemary and definitely not dried.

Parsley – we are using parsley just as a filler here and almost to soften the power of the rosemary in this amazing rosemary and walnut pesto recipe.

Walnuts – I use walnuts in my rosemary and walnut pesto rather than pine nuts that are found in the standard pesto recipes. Walnuts have a stronger flavour and are almost earthy like the rosemary itself. They stand up well to the strength of the rosemary in this pesto and don’t get lost as pine nuts would.

Parmesan – you want the cheese element in this pesto, use any of the fabulous Italian hard cheeses here.

Lemon juice – give a nice wee kick to really wake up the rosemary and walnuts and make this delicious rosemary pesto sing!

Olive oil – good quality olive oil here please.

How to make rosemary and walnut pesto

This is such a simple two step recipe and it’s super easy.

Firstly you want to toast the walnuts. Why? Because toasting the nuts makes them sweeter and brings out their natural flavour.

When you are toasting walnuts use a dry pan and watch them like a hawk. This is not the time to answer your phone, check facebook or nip to the loo! The nuts will take barely a minute to toast.

You’ll know when they are ready as soon as they start to turn golden and emit that gorgeous nutty aroma.

Leave them a second past this stage and they’ll burn and be useless. As soon as they are ready tip the walnuts out of the hot pan to stop them cooking further.

Next simply whizz up all your ingredients in a food processor and season to taste.

Or, use a good old fashioned pestle and mortar and grind the pesto together in the traditional way. Actually, I love making any pesto like this, it really is rather theraputic and with rosemary and walnut pesto the smell is amazing.

Storage

Spoon your pesto into a jar and pop on a lid. This rosemary and walnut pesto will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. When you use some just top up with a little olive oil to cover the top of the pesto and stop it from discolouring.

You can freeze your rosemary and walnut pesto in ice cube trays then you will have the perfect little portions for using on spaghetti etc.

How to serve this pesto

Like all pestos you can use this rosemary and walnut pesto to spread liberally on bruschetta, or just plain old toast if you don’t want to be fancy about it.

Top with a few roasted baby tomatoes to zap up that flavour package.

Rosemary loves tomatoes and I often use a sprinkling of chopped rosemary on a tomato salad instead of the usual basil as it really enhances the flavour of the tomatoes without hiding their summer freshness.

Pesto and pasta

The other great standard for pesto is, of course, to stir it through your pasta as a super simple fast food sauce. Fry some lardons or snips of bacon and toss these in as well. This robust rosemary and walnut pesto just relishes all that depth of flavour and you will have one hearty meal on your plate within a few minutes.

So here is how to make this Rosemary and Walnut Pesto, it is quick and easy and oh so tasty. I’m sure you will be converted and find yourself skipping past that boring green supermarket sludge from now on.

Enjoy!

Looking for more super easy pesto recipes to try? Then check these out before you go;

Wild garlic pesto

Red pepper pesto

Nut free pesto

Lovage and walnut pesto

Parsley and almond pesto

Nasturtium flower and leaf pesto

Great British pesto

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.