Chunky Walnut Pesto with Heirloom Tomatoes

Total Time
0 Mins
Serves
8
Meal
Dinner Lunch
Course
Appetizers Side Snack

Total Time

Prep Time
0 Mins
Cook Time
0 Mins
Total Time
0 Mins

Nutrition

Calories
240 cal
Total Fat
24 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
5 mg
Sodium
125 mg
Carbohydrates
3 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Protein
5 g

Ingredients

  • 1 cup California walnuts, toasted
  • 3 cups basil leaves
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, for taste

Preparation

  1. On a cutting board, sprinkle a light dusting of salt over the cloves of garlic. Using the side of a knife, mash them down rhythmically until it turns into a paste and transfer to a bowl.
  2. Roughly chop the walnuts on the same board and add to the bowl.
  3. Chiffonade the basil, rolling it up and slicing into thin strips. Or, go rustic and just coarsely tear the leaves into the bowl.
  4. Add the cheese and half the lemon juice and fold together with a spatula while drizzling in the olive oil. Check flavor for lemon, salt, and pepper and adjust accordingly.
  5. Use pesto as a spread over tomatoes, on toasted walnut bread or on tomato soup. Cover any unused pesto with a thin layer of oil to prevent the basil from turning brown (it should hold in the refrigerator for a day or two).