This delicious parsley pesto is ready in five minutes with just seven simple ingredients! This creamy sauce tastes great with pasta, eggs, seafood, chicken, salad, sandwiches... you name it!
I love pesto because the bright, zingy flavor goes well with so many different dishes. I love heaping it on my chicken and rice casserole and easy no boil pasta bake. And it's just as good as a dip with vegetables or a spread on eggs & toast.
Pesto is an Italian sauce traditionally made from basil, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, grated hard cheese, and pine nuts. It's all blended together to form a creamy, herb-forward green sauce that adds a sweet, slightly acidic flavor to savory food.
Veering away from tradition, I was surprised to learn that you can make pesto from all kinds of herbs and greens! To prevent food waste, I love making carrot top pesto. And this parsley pesto tastes a little more peppery and less sweet than basil pesto, but it's still just as creamy and delicious!
Ingredients
- Parsley - Flat leaf parsley will give a milder flavor, and curly leaf parsley will give a slightly more bitter and strong flavor
- Olive oil - Helps everything blend into a creamy sauce
- Pine nuts - You can substitute walnuts or cashews, since pine nuts can sometimes be expensive or difficult to find in the store
- Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed lemon if possible, for the best flavor
- Garlic powder - Adds a savory garlic flavor that is sweeter and less pungent than raw garlic
- Salt and ground black pepper
How to Make Parsley Pesto
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend on high speed.
Step 2: Scrape down the sides as needed, to ensure everything is evenly blended and creamy.
Tips and Variations
- If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can also grind everything in a mortar and pestle. Or chop everything finely on a cutting board, then shake it to combine in a jar with a lid.
- Blend the pesto until it is smooth. Large parsley chunks aren't super appetizing.
- You can add whole garlic cloves to the blender, instead of garlic powder. But the more garlic is broken down, the more it might burn when you taste it. I personally prefer the milder and sweeter flavor of garlic powder in this pesto.
- You can add grated parmesan cheese to your pesto for a creamier texture.
Types of Parsley
Flat leaf parsley (also called Italian parsley) has a milder flavor.
Curly parsley (also called French parsley) has a slightly more bitter, stronger flavor.
Both work great in this pesto, depending on your preference. I personally prefer the more potent flavor of curly leaf parsley in this parsley pesto recipe. You could also blend the two, or combine parsley with other fresh herbs!
Parsley Substitutes
Parsley has a similar flavor to cilantro, especially when you compare cilantro to flat leaf parsley.
In this parsley pesto, you could swap out the parsley for cilantro, basil, arugula, carrot greens, celery leaves, or oregano.
Storing
Fridge: Store parsley pesto in a glass jar with a lid or in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto to prevent it from oxidizing.
Freezer: Store in an ice cube tray in the freezer for up to 6 months, to be able to pop out a small amount of pesto at a time to add to pasta, soups, or other recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you eat parsley stems?
Yes, but they're more bitter than parsley leaves. The woodier and thicker the stems, the more bitter they taste.
What cuts down bitterness in pesto?
Adding a little more salt to your pesto will cut down on any unwanted bitter flavors that are too strong. Mix in just ⅛ teaspoon of salt, taste, and continue to adjust as needed.
Also wait to add the olive oil until the very end. Blending olive oil too much can make it to taste bitter.
What to Serve with Parsley Pesto
- Salmon with Pesto Butter
- Pasta including spaghetti, gnocchi and roasted beet ravioli
- Galette with Roasted Carrots
- Sandwiches, toast and pizza
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Easy Vegetable Quiche
- Creamy soups and bean chili
Five Minute Parsley Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups parsley
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup pine nuts (you can substitute walnuts or cashews)
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend on high speed until it is creamy.
- Scrape down the sides as needed, to ensure everything is evenly blended.
Notes
- If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can also grind everything in a mortar and pestle. Or chop everything on a cutting board finely, then shake it to combine in a jar with a lid.
- You can substitute walnuts or cashews in place of the pine nuts.
- You can add whole garlic cloves to the blender, instead of garlic powder, for a more pungent, strong garlic flavor.
- Store parsley pesto in a glass jar with a lid in the fridge for up to 1 week. Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto to prevent it from oxidizing.
- Store extra pesto in an ice cube tray in the freezer for up to 6 months. Then you can pop out a small amount of pesto at a time to add to pasta, soups, or other recipes.
I'm eggcited to hear from you :)