Parsley Pesto

Parsley Pesto
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(466)
Comments
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A twist on the typical basil recipe, this pesto combines flat-leaf parsley and some mint. It’s marvelous on sandwiches and pizza and, if you thin it out with a little pasta water, it’s a great addition to spaghetti. Shower the dressed bowl with Parmesan and serve.

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Ingredients

Yield:About ½ cup / 5 ounces/ 150 g
  • 2garlic cloves, halved, green shoot removed, roughly chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 2cups, tightly packed, flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1tablespoon, tightly packed, mint leaves, coarsely chopped
  • cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 6tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
  • Freshly ground pepper (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

911 calories; 87 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 57 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 24 grams protein; 730 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Alternatively, mash with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Add the parsley and mint to the food processor (or to the mortar and pestle) and process until finely chopped or grind to a paste. With the machine running slowly add the olive oil and process until the mixture is smooth (or slowly work into the mixture using a mortar and pestle). Stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the cheese. Pulse to combine.

Tip
  • This keeps for a week in the refrigerator and doesn’t lose its bright color.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
466 user ratings
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Comments

I usually run the garlic through a press first as it insures a thorough melding into the mixture with less chance of large chunks missed by the blade.

We planted some parsley in the garden that grew into a huge happy but somewhat overwhelming bush of dark green, way more than we would know what to do with using it only in small handfuls here and there. This recipe let’s you enjoy a big batch of leaves (and thin stems!) Instead of mint we add some dead headed basil flowers/tops which have a minty profile. I also like to add some lemon zest to the mix which gives it a little citrus high note, hiding in the background. Great recipe!

Delicious! This has such bright flavor and was a quick and tasty way to use up some surplus fresh parsley. I followed this to the letter but threw in some walnuts as did another reviewer. It gave this some nice body. I look forward to making this again and again. I served it for dinner on Meatless Monday with tossed with gemelli pasta and white beans. It will be great on a cocktail buffet with sliced beef and chicken.

I included the clean stems in the food processor. I also added some toasted walnuts and lemon zest. This freezes well - I portioned into 1/2 c. and 1 c. containers for future use.

I love all the ideas.. I toast the garlic cloves in their skins on a cast iron pan, turning occasionally for about 10 minutes over medium low heat to soften the raw garlic.

Needs lemon juice

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