Wild Garlic Pesto
Fresh wild garlic pesto made with walnuts, parmesan, and lemon. A quick, flavourful sauce perfect for pasta, bread, and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 50 g wild garlic leaves washed and dried
- 45 g walnuts
- 40 g parmesan finely grated
- 100 ml 100 olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice
- ½ tsp fine salt
Optional
- Extra lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- Place the walnuts in a dry frying pan and toast over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
- Add the wild garlic leaves, toasted walnuts, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and 50 ml of the olive oil to a food processor or blender.
- Blend until the mixture is mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the remaining olive oil gradually until the pesto reaches your preferred consistency.
- Taste and adjust with a little more salt, black pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- Spoon into a clean jar and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface before sealing.
Notes
This wild garlic pesto is not naturally vegan or dairy-free because it contains parmesan, but it is naturally gluten-free. For a slightly deeper, rounder flavour, swap part of the walnuts for toasted sunflower seeds or extra walnuts if you want a softer, less bitter finish. A pinch of chilli flakes works well if you want gentle heat, and a little lemon zest will make the pesto taste brighter and fresher. For a richer, more savoury version, add a small extra spoonful of parmesan and reduce the lemon slightly. If you do not have walnuts, use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for a similar texture. If you are out of parmesan, another hard aged cheese such as pecorino will work, though it will give a saltier, sharper result. Store the pesto in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week, keeping the surface covered with a thin layer of oil. It also freezes well for up to 3 months in small portions. Thaw in the fridge and stir in a little olive oil or lemon juice to freshen the texture before using.