This delicious parsley pesto is made with toasted walnuts, Parmesan, and lemon. This pesto is perfect as a sauce, dip, or sandwich spread.

Parsley Pesto
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I love pesto, but most store-bought pesto doesn’t have the same bright flavor as fresh pesto. That’s why I love making it at home! If you’re out of basil, don’t worry, you can still make delicious pesto using parsley. This works well with Italian flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley. No parsley? Try my cilantro pesto instead!

Parsley Pesto

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Fresh Parsley– Don’t even think about trying to use dried parsley! No need to strip the leaves off the stem, just discard the thick stem near the bottom.
  • Walnuts– I toasted raw walnuts to enhance the flavor, but you can use roasted walnuts to start with if you want to save a step.
  • Parmesan Cheese– This adds a salty, umami flavor, but if you want to keep this recipe vegan, feel free to substitute nutritional yeast.
  • Shallot– A small shallot adds a sharp flavor without being too strong.
  • Lemon– A little lemon zest adds a bright citrus flavor.
  • Olive Oil– I love California Olive Ranch olive oil. Any kind will do but high quality brands will have a brighter, fruity flavor.

How to Make Parsley Pesto

Toast the walnuts for about 6 minutes. Then place the walnuts in a clean towel, fold the towel around the walnuts, and rub them together to remove the skins.
In a food processor, add the toasted walnuts, chopped shallot, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Blend until chunky.
Add the parsley. Pulse until the herbs are evenly chopped. With the food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
pesto couscous

How to Store Leftover Pesto

Store leftover pesto in an airtight container. This pesto will last for up to one week in the fridge. You can also freeze this pesto for up to one month.

Ways to Use Pesto

  • Add a spoonful on top of scrambled eggs
  • Toss it with your favorite pasta
  • Stir it into couscous to make a flavorful side dish
  • Use it as a sauce for pizza
  • Drizzle it on roasted veggies
  • Blend it with cottage cheese to make pesto dip
  • Swirl it into your favorite hummus
  • Add a dollop to a bowl of vegetable soup
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Parsley Pesto

Parsley Pesto

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  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 minutes
  • Total Time: 11 minutes
  • Yield: 3/4 cup 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Food Processor
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This delicious parsley pesto is made with toasted walnuts, parmesan, and lemon. This pesto is perfect as a sauce, dip, or sandwich spread.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 bunch parsley, large stems removed
  • 1 small shallot
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and toast the walnuts for about 6 minutes.
  2. Once toasted, place the walnuts in a clean towel, fold the towel around the walnuts, and rub them together to remove the skins (this reduces bitterness).
  3. In a food processor, add the toasted walnuts, chopped shallot, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Blend until chunky.
  4. Add the parsley to the processor. Pulse until the herbs are evenly chopped.
  5. With the food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create a thick, even pesto. Avoid overmixing to prevent browning.

  6. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The pesto can be frozen to maintain its bright green color.