Walnut Pesto (easy 5 minute recipe!)

There are so many ways to use this vibrant green walnut pesto.

It is one of my favorite basic Italian sauces for pasta, pizza, and vegetables. It’s also super tasty as a topping for sandwiches and wraps.

The bright green hue of this nut pesto comes from a blend of fresh basil, spinach, and parsley. So this recipe is perfect for those times when you have a lot of herbs and vegetables to use up before they go bad!

The best thing about this pesto is that you can make a batch in just 5 minutes. That fast and easy.

Here is how to do it.

Walnut pesto sauce in a glass jar with a wooden spoon.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make 5-minute walnut pesto at home.

Basil (fresh)
Spinach (fresh)
fresh parsley)
Chopped nuts
Parmesan cheese (block)
Garlic
Lemon
extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

A wedge of Parmesan cheese on a cutting board with a grater next to lemon and bowls of basil, walnuts, spinach and parsley.

Instructions

Equipment-wise, you’ll only need a blender or food processor for this recipe.

First, add all the ingredients (basil, spinach, parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil) to your blender or food processor.

Then just cover and pulse the mixture until it reaches the consistency you like.

You may need to pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, especially if you’re using a large capacity blender. But other than that, you just tap a couple of times and you’re done!

Troubleshooting Tips

You can adjust the amount of time you mix the pesto to get the texture you want. Mix it less for a thick, chunky pesto. Pulse more times for a smooth and creamy pesto sauce. Both ways are delicious!

The only problem that could arise when you are making your own pesto is that the vegetables could get stuck on the sides of the blender. If this happens, pause to scrape down the edges with a putty knife. You can also try adding more olive oil to get the mixture moving.

A blender full of unmixed pesto ingredients.

Ways to Use Pecan Pesto

There are so many ways to use this 5-minute pecan pesto sauce. Here are some of my favourites.

Pasta sauce (try my vegetable pasta pesto recipe)
To flavor vegetables (such as mashed potatoes) and proteins (such as tofu, chickpeas, eggs, fish, chicken)
Sandwich or wrap relish
Salad dressing
pizza sauce

Advance and storage information

Walnut Pesto works great for meal prep.

Store prepared pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 6 months.

Horizontal overhead image of pesto in a glass jar with a wooden spoon.

ingredient substitutions

Instead of nuts, use pine nuts, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
If you want to make vegan pesto, use nutritional yeast instead of the Parmesan cheese.
If you don’t have parsley or spinach, you can add extra basil instead. Swap the baby arugula for peppery pesto!

Pesto in a wooden spoon with lemon, garlic and basil.

Recipes to Serve with Walnut Pesto

Walnut pesto in a glass jar with a wooden spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pecan Pesto

Is the pesto vegetarian?

As long as you use a Parmesan cheese made with non-animal rennet (like Belgioioso brand), this walnut pesto recipe qualifies as lacto-ovo vegetarian.

Can you make vegan pesto?

To make this recipe 100% vegan and dairy-free, substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan cheese.

Can you make pesto without nuts?

Use sunflower seeds instead of nuts to make this nut-free recipe.

How long can you store pesto sauce? Is it freezer safe?

Store prepared pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.

📖 Recipe

5 minute walnut pesto

A flavorful Italian-inspired green herb sauce with hints of lemon and garlic. Use it on pasta, pizza and vegetables.

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Course: sauces

Kitchen: italian, vegetarian

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Total time: 5 minutes

Servings: 0.75 cup

Calories: 431kcal

Author: Stephanie McKercher, RDN

Instructions

Add basil, spinach, parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil to a blender or food processor.
Mix or process until desired consistency is reached, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Mix less for a thick, chunky pesto and more for a smooth, creamy pesto. If the pesto is too thick or doesn’t mix well, add more olive oil and mix again.

grades

Not all Parmesan cheese is vegetarian. If this is important to you, be sure to use a Parmesan cheese made with non-animal rennet. One brand that uses non-animal rennet (according to their website) is Belgioioso.

I recommend buying a block/wedge of Parmesan cheese and grating it yourself with a grater or microplane. It will result in a better texture and is also usually more cost effective.

Storage: Store prepared pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.