Healthy Pesto Recipes: A Delicious and Versatile Guide

Pesto is a vibrant and flavorful sauce that can elevate a wide variety of dishes. Whether you make it from scratch or use a store-bought jar, pesto adds a burst of freshness and herbaceousness that is hard to resist. This article explores the world of healthy pesto recipes, offering tips, variations, and creative ways to incorporate this versatile sauce into your weekly meal planning.

What is Pesto?

Traditional pesto is a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. The ingredients are combined using a food processor or blender. The result is a bright green sauce with a rich, nutty, and slightly salty flavor.

Fresh Ingredients and Health Benefits

The main ingredients in pesto offer various health benefits:

• Olive oil: Rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Basil: Contains flavonoid phytochemicals called orientin and vicenin, which act as antioxidants, protecting healthy cells from cancer and diseases by neutralizing damaging free radicals.
• Garlic: Has been shown to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Pine nuts: A source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat that can improve cardiovascular health and help manage type 2 diabetes.

Making Your Own Healthy Pesto

Making pesto at home is surprisingly easy and allows you to control the ingredients and nutritional content. Here's a basic recipe with healthy modifications:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh sweet basil leaves, packed (no stems or blooms)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (a healthy alternative to pine nuts)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry the fresh basil leaves thoroughly. Use only the leaves, not the stems.
2. Place walnuts and garlic in a food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds, then scrape the sides.
3. Add basil, salt, and pepper to the food processor.
4. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until the pesto is pureed. Scrape the sides as needed.
5. Finally, add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse briefly until combined.

Tips for the Best Homemade Pesto:

• Use high-quality olive oil: It makes a noticeable difference in the flavor of the pesto.
• Pulse, don’t puree: Overworking the basil in the food processor can break down the chlorophyll, which gives pesto its signature green color.
• Stir in olive oil: Adding olive oil in by hand prevents bitter pesto. Emulsifying the oil in the food processor can squeeze out bitter-tasting polyphenols.
• Toast the pine nuts (or walnuts): Lightly toasting the nuts enhances their natural flavor and adds a nutty richness to the pesto. Toast them in a small pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
• Don’t burn the pine nuts: Move the pine nuts around in the pan with a spatula as you toast them so they don’t burn. They should be golden brown and toasted, not burnt.

Variations on the Classic Pesto Recipe:

• Vegan Pesto: Omit the Parmesan cheese and substitute it with 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
• Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto: Incorporate about 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomatoes into the pesto for a rich, tangy flavor.
• Avocado Pesto: Blend half of a ripe avocado with the rest of the ingredients for a creamy and healthy twist.
• Different Nuts: Swap out the pine nuts for any nut of your choice, such as almonds, pecans, or macadamia nuts.
• Different Herbs: Experiment with different herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, or mint, in addition to or in place of basil.
• Add Greens: Replace half the basil with 1 cup of arugula, kale, or chopped zucchini for added nutrients.

Ways to Use Pesto

Pesto is incredibly versatile and can be used in countless ways. Here are just a few ideas:

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Pasta Dishes

• Pesto Pasta: Toss pesto with your favorite pasta shape for a quick and easy meal. Add vegetables like cherry tomatoes, zucchini, or broccoli for extra nutrients. Consider a basil-walnut pesto pasta recipe made with linguine noodles, fresh arugula, and sautéed shrimp (both fresh and frozen shrimp work well).
• Pesto Pasta Salad: Add pesto to cold pasta salad for a flavorful and refreshing dish.
• Pesto Orzo Bowl: Combine pesto with orzo pasta, shrimp, lemon, and artichokes for a delicious and balanced meal.
• Tuna Pasta Salad With Pesto: Combine protein-packed canned tuna and a dairy-free hemp seed pesto.

Seafood

• Baked Pesto Salmon: Top salmon fillets with pesto and bake for a healthy and flavorful dinner. My sister-in-law Jamie introduced me to this Baked Pesto Salmon recipe and I make it very often.
• Pesto Cod: Coat cod fillets with pesto and bake for an easy and tasty meal.
• Pan-Seared Scallops with Pesto: Serve pan-seared scallops with sautéed corn, cherry tomatoes, and dairy-free pesto.
• Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Shrimp: Toss spaghetti squash with kale miso pesto and sautéed shrimp for a dairy-free, gluten-free, and high-fiber meal.

Chicken

• One-Pan Chicken Pesto: Bake chicken breasts with vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli, and zucchini, all tossed in pesto.
• Grilled Pesto Chicken: Marinate chicken breasts in pesto before grilling for a flavorful and juicy result.
• Low Carb Pesto Chicken and Spaghetti Squash Casserole: Top it with mozzarella and tomatoes.

Vegetables

• Roasted Vegetables with Pesto: Toss roasted vegetables like potatoes, asparagus, and carrots with pesto for a simple and flavorful side dish.
• Pesto Quinoa Bowls: Combine pesto quinoa with roasted vegetables for a hearty vegetarian meal.
• Smashed Potatoes with Pesto: Crisp smashed potatoes smothered in hemp seed pesto.
• Grilled Vegetables with Pesto and Mozzarella: Grill vegetables with fresh mozzarella, pesto, tomato slices and fresh basil leaves.

Other Creative Uses

• Pesto Pizza: Use pesto as a base for pizza instead of traditional tomato sauce.
• Pesto Hummus: Combine pesto with chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice for a flavorful dip.
• Pesto Salad Dressing: Whisk pesto with olive oil and vinegar for a healthy and delicious salad dressing.
• Pesto on Eggs: Add a dollop of pesto to scrambled eggs or omelets for a savory twist.
• Pesto on Sandwiches: Use pesto as a spread on sandwiches or wraps instead of mayonnaise or mustard.
• Pesto on Bread: Dollop it on toasted bread.
• Pesto on Soups: Mix it into soups for an extra layer of richness. My friend Julie recreated one of my favorite soups to order out, this Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto from Panera and it is absolutely delicious!
• Pesto on Stews: Add it to stews.
• Pesto on Dips: Use it as a dip.
• Pesto on Marinades: Use it as a quick marinade for grilled chicken.

Storing Pesto

• Refrigerator: Homemade pesto lasts a few days in the refrigerator. To prevent browning, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on the surface and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the pesto. Store in an airtight container.
• Freezer: Pesto freezes well and can be stored for months. Freeze pesto in ice cube trays for easy portioning. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a zip-lock bag or vacuum-sealed bag.

Healthy Pesto Recipes

Basil-Walnut Pesto Linguine with Shrimp and Arugula

Ingredients:

• 1 pound linguine pasta
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 5 ounces fresh arugula
• 1/2 cup basil-walnut pesto
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them by placing them in a colander and running cold water over them.
2. Make pesto by placing all pesto ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until the pesto sauce forms. If desired, you can thin the pesto out a bit by adding a tiny bit of water or extra olive oil. Adjust seasonings to taste and set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil (for pasta).
4. While water boils, remove tails, shells, and veins from shrimp. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.
5. Add shrimp to a large bowl with 1 Tbsp olive oil and garlic powder. Toss until shrimp are well-coated.
6. Once water boils, add linguine and cook according to package instructions (about 7-9 minutes).
7. While pasta cooks, heat a large pan over medium-high. Cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes each side, until opaque. Remove from heat.
8. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add pesto and arugula, and stir everything together until well-coated with pesto.
9. Serve pasta in bowls and top with shrimp.

One-Pan Chicken Pesto with Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 cup pesto
• Parmesan cheese, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place chicken, tomatoes, broccoli, and zucchini in a large bowl and toss with pesto.
3. Place on a large sheet pan and spread out for even cooking.
4. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
5. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.

Pesto Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup roasted vegetables (such as sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and bell peppers)
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• Optional toppings: feta cheese, toasted nuts, avocado

Instructions:

1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions.
2. Roast vegetables until tender and slightly caramelized.
3. In a bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, and pesto. Toss to combine.
4. Top with feta cheese, toasted nuts, or avocado, if desired.

Pesto Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
2. Adjust seasonings to taste.
3. Serve with vegetables, pita bread, or crackers.

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