Larder Love

The best preserving recipes plus easy cooking and baking too

  • ALL RECIPES
    • PRESERVES & LARDER
    • COOKING & BAKING
    • COLLECTIONS & CUISINES
  • TIPS & TRICKS
    • HOME HINTS
  • MY COOKBOOKS
  • ABOUT
    • CONTACT ME
    • PRIVACY
Home » Pesto » Easy Runner Bean Pesto Recipe

Easy Runner Bean Pesto Recipe

Author: Karon Grieve Published : October 2013

Recipe
runner bean pesto
This super easy recipe for runner bean pesto is a great way of using your gorgeous garden produce

Runner bean pesto is packed with flavour and super easy to make. It is one of my favourite ways to use runner beans and makes a freat topping for pasta, in sandwiches, as a dip and so much more.

runner bean pesto in glass bowl

Autumn; season of golds, reds, bronze, copper and all shades of brown from deepest chocolate to softest ochre gold. Nature gearing up to go out into winter with a blaze and also fading of colour.

There is no place for green. Oh yes there is! The last of my garden goodies, the runner beans. I just have to make some Runner Bean Pesto as it is one of my favourite recipes for runner beans.

Hey Pesto!

For a blast of bright green zingy freshness amidst the golds of autumn try this easy recipe for a light and tasty pesto that uses the end of season runners and gives them a new lease on life.

You see pesto shouldn’t just be thought of in terms of basil only. You can make a pesto sauce out of all sorts of herbs and veggies. This runner bean pesto will put those mushy jars of store bought pesto into the shade.

pesto on spoon on bread

What is Pesto?

Pesto comes from the Italian word meaning to pound. Because pesto is traditionally made in a pestle and mortar and pounded into a paste. Traditional pesto is made with basil, Parmesan (or other Italian hard cheese), pine nuts, garlic and olive oil.

I have to admit I am slightly obsessed with pesto. In fact I even wrote a book about it

A Passion For Pesto

In it I share over 75 recipes for all types of pesto from herb pestos to veggie pestos. I make pesto from weeds and even sweet pesto made from fruits for desserts. Finally there are recipes for how to use your delicious homemade pestos.

runner bean pesto in jar with spoon

Ingredients for runner bean pesto

Well obviously runner beans are involved in this tasty pesto instead of basil.

I used 200g/7 oz of runner beans. Instead of pine nuts I have used almonds. I love the flavour of almonds and use them in a lot of my recipes for pesto. Apart from tasting good they are a damn sight cheaper than pine nuts.

Other ingredients are Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, a couple of cloves of garlic and nice olive oil.

Finally, don’t forget the salt and pepper too of course.

close up of pesto on spoon

How to make runner bean pesto

You will have to top and tail the beans and string them first if they are aged at all. This just means running a potato peeler down either side and removing a slither of skin and any stringiness that comes away. Then just chop up the beans as you like.

Pop them into a small pan and just cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes maximum. Then remove from heat and drain, running under cold water to keep their lovely bright green colour.

Allow to cool and then toss into your food processor along with 2 cloves of garlic, 4 tablespoons of toasted and chopped almonds, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and a good squeeze of lemon juice.

Whizz until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste and add enough olive oil to get the sort of consistency you like. I like my pesto firm enough to use on a crostini like a spread rather than a really runny saucy consistancy. The choice is yours.

Scoop the pesto into a sterilised jar and cover with more olive oil and a lid.

pesto on spoon with bread and scattered beans

How to store pesto

Store in the fridge for up to a week. To keep it nice and green make sure that you top it up with a little olive oil each time you use it. This stops it oxidising on the top and going darker.

Can you freeze pesto?

Yes you can. But quite honestly it is better frozen without the cheese added. If you are making a lot of this runner bean pesto for freezing then simply freeze batches before adding the Parmesan cheese.

Remember to clearly label your freezer bags/containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can actually freeze this pesto in ice cube trays and once solid decant into a freezer bag.

How to serve pesto

Use your runner bean pesto on toasts, mixed into a plain pasta, spooned into a bowl of veggie soup, or as a condiment on the side of your plate with chicken salad or ham. A little pop of green goodness in contrast to all the browns and golds of autumn.

larder links

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

Rosemary and walnut pesto

Strawberry and basil pesto

Apple celery and coriander pesto

Parsley and almond pesto

Carrot top pesto

Great British Pesto

Nasturtium Pesto

Nut Free 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.

Photos And Tips AboveMost of my recipes have step by step photos and useful tips plus videos too, see above.
runner bean pesto by larderlove

Runner Bean Pesto

Karon Grieve
A super easy pesto recipe that is perfect on crostini, in pasta and lots more
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Comment Bookmark Saved! Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course pesto, sauces
Cuisine Italian
Calories 1183 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 200 g runner beans chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 tbsp almonds chopped and toasted
  • 2 tbsp parmesan grated
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt & pepper
Metric – US Customary

Instructions
 

  • Put the chopped beans into a pan with enough water to cover.
  • Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, drain and run under cold water, allow to cool.
  • Whizz together the cooked beans, garlic, parmesan, almonds and lemon juice till you have a smooth paste.
  • Add the salt and pepper to taste and enough olive oil to get the consistancy of pesto that you prefer.
  • Scoop into a jar and cover with more olive oil and pop on a lid.
  • Will keep in fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 1183kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 12gFat: 121gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 613mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1460IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 258mgIron: 4mg
My Top Tips*Always read the full recipe first. *Assemble all your ingredients and everything you need before you start. *For baking check the size of tins I’m using as this makes a big difference to your cakes. * I use medium sized eggs unless otherwise stated. * I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise stated. * I use unsalted butter unless otherwise stated. * Check out My Preserving Kit!
Tried this recipe?Mention @LarderLove or tag #LarderLove

 

Filed Under: ALL RECIPES, Pesto, Summer

« Hedgerow Jelly With Scotch Whisky
Super Crispy Gingernut Biscuits (aka Gingersnaps) »

Comments

  1. Debi says

    October 21, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    Interesting recipe that I may try next year. Thanks for the great tip on using a peeler to get the string completely off as I absolutely hate those strings!

    Reply
  2. Edith says

    March 14, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    Hi, after reading this awesome article i am as well cheerful to
    share my experience here with friends.

    Reply
  3. Amy says

    August 22, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    just made this and it seems to be fermenting or something….It was growing out the bowl last night and i put it in a jam jar this morning. went to take the lid off today and had a mass garlicky runner bean explosion everywhere. Tastes nice but my walls are a mess!

    Reply
    • Karon Grieve says

      August 23, 2016 at 7:17 pm

      Oh dear, sorry to hear that, don’t quite know what went wrong there.
      K x

      Reply
  4. Wilda says

    October 23, 2019 at 11:26 am

    I almost didn’t try this recipe after reading the ferment comment but I’m ever so glad to report that I made it anyway and loved it. Straight from the food processor onto slices of fresh whole-grain baguette. All ingredients came from the local bakery and the weekly market stalls in our little Spanish town. The rest is in a jar in the fridge. If it explodes I’ll be sure to let you know! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Karon Grieve says

      October 24, 2019 at 10:11 am

      Hi Wilda
      Glad you made it and liked it so much
      K x

      Reply
  5. Karsy says

    November 30, 2020 at 1:34 pm

    5 stars
    Lovely alternative to traditional pesto, I also added chives. Will be making this again.

    Reply
    • Karon Grieve says

      November 30, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      Hi Karsy
      Glad you like the recipe. I like your idea of adding some chives. I’ll try that myself, thanks.
      K

      Reply
  6. Marcia Irving says

    April 15, 2023 at 3:14 am

    5 stars
    Had to substitute lemon for white vinegar but turned out better than I had expected

    Reply
    • Karon Grieve says

      April 19, 2023 at 10:34 am

      Hi Marcia
      Glad the recipe worked well for you with the lemon as a substitute.
      K

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Karon Grieve

SEARCH MY SITE

Follow Larder Love

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Trending Now

dandelion jelly with spoon
3 ingredient dried apricot jam
rich and creamy mushroom soup
homemade garlic oil
vegetarian moussaka
beetroot chutney by larderlove.com

Spring Recipes

coronation chicken
bowl of chicken biryani
wild garlic soup
3 ingredient cheese scones
lamb kofta curry
salmon miso stir fry bowl
close up of slice of carrot and walnut cake
sweet potato wedges

See more spring recipes...

BUY MY BOOKS

Karon Grieve books
my foodgawker gallery

Follow Larder Love

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Privacy Policy & Disclaimers

 

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright Karon Grieve - Larder Love © 2018. All Rights Reserved.

  • 78