Nettle Pesto
Pesto is a good way to use almost any type of greens or herbs. If you have access to foraged nettles, try this recipe that uses a superfood wild edible green.
Servings: 8
Calories: 81kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup walnuts
- 1 compacted cup nettles 1½ ounces
- 1 cup fresh spinach tightly packed (1½ ounces)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Scant ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 300°F. Rinse nettles in a colander and let drain. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 12-15 minutes.
- Shake the colander to remove excess water from the nettles.
- Process nettles, spinach, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped but some texture remains, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
- Thin with water as needed. Makes about 1 cup.
- Refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Variations:
Substitute cashews, blanched almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for the walnuts.
Substitute other greens and herbs for the nettles and/or spinach: basil, parsley, mint, arugula, cilantro, carrot tops, etc.
Oil-Free Pesto: Substitute ¼ avocado for the oil. Thin as needed with water.
Tips:
Make-Ahead: Make extra and freeze in an ice cube tray. After the pesto is frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer container. Freeze up to 3 months.
Thin pesto with a small amount of water or hot pasta cooking water before tossing with pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 352IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg