Nasturtium Pesto

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Nasturtium pesto is a refreshing and easy pesto made using nasturtium leaves and stalks. 

What is Pesto?

Pesto basically is a sauce that is made of basil leaves, crushed garlic, pine nuts, salt, and hard cheese and blended with olive oil. It is rich and creamy and adds great flavor to the final recipe.

Pesto was initially made from basil leaves. But now we have different variations of pesto. One can make it with any type of leaves or veggies. A combination can be used too, for example, avocado and basil pesto like in this Raw Avocado Basil Dip which is oil-free. 

Pesto can be made with the following

• Kale leaves
• Spinach
• Rocket leaves
• Arugula
• Beetroot leaves
• Radish leaves
• Mint leaves
• Coriander
• Parsley 
• Carrot top 
• Radish Green etc.

And if you like to go with veggies or grains or legumes or nuts anything you like, you can make it with 

• Avocado
• Pepper
• Tomato
• Chickpeas
• Butter Beans
• White Beans and all types of legumes
• Garlic Pesto
• Walnut pesto  
• Pumpkin pesto etc

Typically it is added to pasta to flavor it. However, now we have many recipes in which pesto can be added. 

Different ways in which pesto can be used

• Add it to your stir-fried veggies potatoes, and, salads, etc. 
• Spread it on bread or a pizza.
• Use it on dips 
• As a marinade or a dressing
• Make flavourful breadcrumbs
• I like to use it in my omelet 

For me, it was pesto with Nasturtium leaves and stalks. Yes, loads of growing in the garden, and we needed to make good use of it. I already make a puree of it, freeze it, and use it as required for this Nasturtium yogurt dip and for this Eggless Nasturtium Greens Sandwich Bread or this Pumpkin Nasturtium Cheese Bread.

Now I want to explore more. So I thought of making this Nasturtium pesto. I simply add this pesto to my salads. My favorite way of enjoying it is to add an omelet, in this Raw Zoodles salad or top it up on bread or a pizza. Adds so much flavor and texture to the dish. 

How to make Nasturtium Pesto

Typically pesto is made using mortar and pestle. All the ingredients are grounded to make a fine paste. I simply added it all in a food blender and blend it to a smooth paste.

Recipe process of Nasturtium Pesto

The first step is to clean and rinse the nasturtium leaves and stalks well. I soak the leaves and stalks in room-temperature salt water. This helps in getting rid of impurities and any bugs. After 30 minutes, rinse the leaves and pesto well, remove all the excess water, and pat it dry.

The next step is to add the leaves stalks, pine nuts, and cheese and blend everything. Slowly add oil and blend to a smooth or desired consistency. That’s it you are done. The pesto can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 6 months.

Shelf life of Nasturtium Pesto

This stays good for 3-4 days in the fridge. But as it has cheese and salt, if you want to keep it any longer I would advise it to freeze it. I freeze it in cubes and use it as required.

Nasturtium Pesto

Nasturtium Pesto is a refreshing and easy pesto made using nasturtium leaves and stalks.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Condiments

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Herbs, Summer Recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Author: Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Equipment

• Food Processor
• Mortar and Pestle

Ingredients

• 2 cup Nasturtium leaves and stalks – around 40 to 50 leaves
• ¼ Cup pine nuts One can replace it with pistachio or walnuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese One can go upto ½ cup, we like it a bit on the less side
• Salt
• Black pepper powder to taste

Instructions

• Clean and rinse the nasturtium leaves nicely.
  2 cup Nasturtium leaves and stalks – around 40 to 50 leaves
• Remove all the excess water and pat them try.
• Toast the nuts on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. This helps to release flavor and moisture from the nuts.
  ¼ Cup pine nuts
• In a food processor add the leaves and blend them.
• Add the pine nuts, parmesan cheese and blend everything.
  ¼ Cup pine nuts, ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• Slowly add oil and blend until you get a smooth consistency. (Few like it on the coarser side, so it depends on you)
  ½ cup olive oil
• Add salt and black pepper to taste.
  Salt, Black pepper powder to taste
• Mix and use as required.

Notes

• Recipe measurements are just guidelines. One can adjust the quantity as per their preference.
• Read above for substitutions for leaves.

 

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Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

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