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Pesto Recipes: Our 4 most popular DIY Recipes

Pesto recipes from the blender

Pesto recipes at a glance:

As soon as the first wild herbs are there, they end up in our blender. This time not for wild herb smoothies, but for our first wild herb pesto. The mild flavor really surprised us. Unlike the green smoothie, where the same amount of wild herbs would taste extremely dominant, the pesto is downright harmless. Goes great with pasta, gnocchi & Co, also goes well solo as a spread and definitely scores as an exotic salsa at the barbecue. It's easy to pepare with a blender. Wow! why buy pesto when you can make your own without any preservatives ? Our answer: A wild herb pesto and 3 other pesto recipes for the blender.

Pesto recipes from the blender

Pesto recipe with wild herbs: The Wild Seven

For our wild herb pesto recipe we have collected a mixture of goutweed, nettles (from August also with nettle seeds), mallow, dandelion, ribwort, sorrel and flowering ground ivy. Of course, you can also limit yourself to fewer herbs - but a good portion of goutweed should be there. It also works well as a vegan version with walnuts only.

Pesto recipe with wild herbs

"Wild Seven"
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 5 Min
Total Time 15 Min
Amount 450 ml
Calories 2400 kcal
Cuisine Pesto
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Pesto recipes: Wild herb pesto with 7 wild herbs.
5 / 5 out of 1130 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 120 g wild herbs giersch should be the base
  • 120 g walnuts
  • 200 ml olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves fresh, peeled
  • 1.5 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ice cube to prevent oxidation
  • pepper to taste
 

Instruction

  1. Wash wild herbs well and shake off.
  2. First add the wild herbs to the container, then add the remaining ingredients. Start the blending process on low speed and use the tamper to push the viscous mass toward the blades.
  3. If the blades are still not getting enough resistance, turn off the blender and use a spoon to "flip" the ingredients to allow the blades to get hold of them.
  4. Repeat this process until a pasty, coarse pesto mixture is apparent.
  5. Now set the blender to maximum speed and blend for about 20-30 seconds until the desired pesto consistency is achieved.
  6. Then season with salt and pepper, if needed. Our olive oil was so flavorful that we didn't need any pepper for the spiciness.

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Pesto Recipes in a PDF file

Yes, I would like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive the Pesto Recipes as a printable PDF file for free.

Please send me e-mails, according to the privacy policy, on a regular basis. The Newsletter contains information about kitchen appliances, utensils, recipes and preparation tips, this is revocable at any time.

Pesto recipes with wild herbs

Tip
We prepared the wild herb pesto especially in the Bianco Primo to be able to define a minimum quantity (400 g) for this blender. Other blender models with other container shapes can also prepare smaller quantities - such as the Vitamix TNC 5200.

Pesto recipe with dried tomatoes: Pesto Rosso

Yummi! The classic Pesto Rosso with roasted pine nuts and Parmesan is something for umami lovers - hearty, strong, deep and full of flavor. Currently our favorite spread. We selected dried tomatoes, which we then pickled ourselves. Since most dried tomatoes contain salt, you have to be careful when re-salting.

Pesto recipe with sun dried tomatoes

"Pesto Rosso"
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 5 Min
Total Time 15 Min
Amount 600 ml
Calories 3600 kcal
Cuisine Pesto
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Pesto recipe with sun dried tomatoes
5 / 5 out of 1093 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 200 g tomatoes dried, not preserved in oil
  • 250 ml olive oil
  • 100 g pine nuts roasted
  • 30 g basil we used red basil.
  • 120 g parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp sea salt
 

Instruction

  1. Soak 200 g dried tomatoes overnight in 250 ml olive oil.
  2. Roast pine nuts in a pan without fat until golden brown and let cool.
  3. Cut the Parmesan into small pieces and add to the container along with the soaked tomatoes, including the soaking oil, and the remaining ingredients.
  4. Blend at low speed while using the tamper to push the viscous mass back to the blades - 30-45 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

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Pesto recipes with wild herbs

Pesto recipe with basil: Pesto Verde

The classic green pesto should not be missing. We have oriented ourselves on the pesto recipe from Green Kitchen Stories, but instead of pine nuts we use the much cheaper walnuts.

Pesto recipe with basil

"Pesto Verde"
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 5 Min
Total Time 15 Min
Amount 350 ml
Calories 1600 kcal
Cuisine Pesto
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Pesto recipes: Pesto with basil.
5 / 5 out of 1114 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 100 g basil
  • 100 g walnuts
  • 50 g parmesan cheese
  • ½-1 garlic clove
  • 80 ml olive oil
  • 1 ice cube to prevent oxidation
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
 

Instruction

  1. Wash and shake off basil.
  2. Peel garlic, cut Parmesan cheese into small pieces.
  3. Place all ingredients in the container and blend at low speed while using the tamper to push the viscous mass back to the blades - 30-45 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

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Pesto recipe with wild garlic and parsley: Bearlin

Wild garlic pesto is an ingenious seasoning paste - for example, for vegetable soups and stews. Especially when parsley is also included. We have searched for wild garlic in wild Berlin. The Result: Bärlin.

Pesto recipe with wild garlic and parsley

"Bearlin"
Prep Time 10 Min
Perform Time 5 Min
Total Time 15 Min
Amount 600 ml
Calories 3100 kcal
Cuisine Pesto
Author Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com
Pesto recipes: Pesto with wild garlic.
5 / 5 out of 1075 Reviews
 

Ingredients

  • 75 g wild garlic
  • 75 g parsley smooth
  • 70 g pine nuts
  • 130 g parmesan cheese
  • 250 ml olive oil
  • 1 ice cube to prevent oxidation
  • 1 tsp salt
 

Instruction

  1. Wash and shake wild garlic and parsley.
  2. Roast pine nuts in a pan without fat until golden brown and let cool.
  3. Cut the Parmesan into small pieces and add to the container along with all the other ingredients.
  4. Blend at low speed while using the tamper to push the viscous mass back to the blades - 30-45 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

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Pesto recipe bread spread

Preserve homemade pesto

You can keep homemade pesto in the refrigerator for at least 1 week, if not longer. To do this, put the pesto in sterilized canning jars and seal the top with a little oil after each use.
Tip for sterilizing jars: Rinse jars well and place in oven at 180 degrees for about 10 minutes. Then leave them in the closed oven until they have cooled down.

Pesto Recipes in a PDF file

Yes, I would like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive the Pesto Recipes as a printable PDF file for free.

Please send me e-mails, according to the privacy policy, on a regular basis. The Newsletter contains information about kitchen appliances, utensils, recipes and preparation tips, this is revocable at any time.

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Have you ever made pesto in a blender? Which pesto recipe do you like best?

We appreciate your Feedback!

Carla from GrueneSmoothies.com

I fell in love with the first sip. In 2010 a friend of mine served me my first green smoothie. Since then, green smoothies are my absolute favorite breakfast. Quickly prepared, I start my day healthy, delicious and well nourished. I carry the feeling of this delicious healthy breakfast with me all day long - all the way through to the evening.
Nice side effect: Without renunciation or nutritional dogma, green smoothies regulate my desire for coffee, chocolate and all the other temptations.

Among other things, Carla gives workshops for beginners and also is responsible for social media and communication.

Add comment

80 | Comment(s)

3/28/2024
Leonore Wuschel
Just made some wild garlic pesto, really delicious. Too bad I don't have a giraffe's tongue, otherwise I would have licked the blender clean. Definitely making it again before the end of wild garlic season. And it's sure to taste great on bread too. Thanks for your amazing recipes.
4/2/2024
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hi Leonore,

thank you so much for the lovely recipe feedback. Wild garlic pesto is just fantastic.

Best regards,
Carla
3/22/2024
Anni Moebius
I am interested in knowing when the ice cube is added to the pesto? Unfortunately, this is not specified in the recipe. Which speed should I use, or which button on the Vitamix should I use for the pesto?
Greetings, Anni
3/25/2024
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Anni,

you add the ice cubes right at the beginning with all the other ingredients into the blender; before starting to blend. Adjust the blending speed as described in the instructions: Start with lower speeds, then towards the end, increase to maximum speed and blend everything until your desired pesto consistency is reached.

Enjoy experimenting!
Carla
3/14/2024
Petra
Hello. I want to register for the Pesto recipes, but unfortunately, it's not working.

Kind regards, Petra Schorn
3/14/2024
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Petra,

I have just sent you an email with the download link to our pesto recipes.

Enjoy!
Carla
3/12/2024
Ludmilla Helga Moherndl
I make pesto without cheese, but with walnuts instead. I really enjoy the taste, and it's vegan.
3/11/2024
Birgit
I have been freezing my wild garlic paste (wild garlic, salt, oil, and sesame) in small jars for over 10 years now. I find the taste afterwards just like when it was freshly made.
11/9/2022
Davide
Hello I can also print pesto recipe?
11/11/2022
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Davide,

please enter your email address in the registration box. Then you will automatically receive an email with a download link of the recipe - this version is suitable for printing.
Have fun with it,
Carla
8/29/2022
Lukas
Hello Selene,
may you tell me how you make your herbal paste and what to consider?
Regards, Luke
7/17/2022
Arnold, Bertram
Instead of walnut kernels I often take ground hazelnuts, tastes also good!
7/18/2022
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Oh yeah, that works great too!
4/22/2022
Birgit
What do you freeze your wild garlic pesto in?
In small jars? Or as ice cubes?
Have read that wild garlic becomes bland when frozen.... does an olive oil prevent that in such a pesto?

Kind regards
Birgit :-)
4/26/2022
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Birgit,

thank you for your question.
We have not yet frozen our homemade pesto. I find that herbs totally lose flavor when frozen, which is why I could imagine that the pesto also loses flavor intensity.

Best regards,
Carla
11/14/2021
Selene
Hello Carla, your pesto recipes are great. However, since pesto doesn't really last long, I always make an herb paste instead. This one stays fresh for about a year (if it lasts that long). I only add cheese and nuts shortly before I actually need the pesto and let it sit for a few hours (preferably overnight) before using it. This way, I can still enjoy wild garlic pesto in autumn.
Best regards, Selene

Every day is a new beginning with new opportunities, new successes, and new setbacks that in turn hold new opportunities within them.
Selene Glöckner
11/16/2021
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Selene,

thank you for your comment and the lovely recipe feedback! Do you freeze the herb paste? Otherwise, I can't explain why it can last so long....?
Sending love,
Carla
4/13/2021
Norbert Franke
Hello Carla,
your pesto sounds enticing, but I have reservations about wild herbs, so my question is: Do you pick the wild herbs yourselves, grow them yourselves, or source them from somewhere else? If so, from whom?
Best regards, Norbert
4/13/2021
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Norbert,

we have a great selection of wild herbs in the Kreuzberg garden that we harvest. When we go out to collect wild herbs, we make sure not to forage in manure-fertilized, conventional cultivation areas, and not directly at the roadside (exhaust fumes) or at the edge of paths (dogs). If you are unsure, I would always recommend joining a wild herb tour. You can find such an offer in your region here.
Alternatively, you can ask your trusted farmer at a weekly market if they can bring you wild herbs. Or you can search online - there are several providers who ship wild herbs.

Best regards,
Carla
4/12/2021
Anne
Thank you for the pesto recipes, you are really good! But how long do the pestos last? My wild garlic pesto from last year only lasted a week! Best regards, Anne
4/13/2021
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Anne,

homemade pesto can last longer. However, it is extremely important to work very clean. The filling jar must therefore be sterilized beforehand - e.g. by boiling. Also, the pesto in the jar should always be sealed with a little olive oil.

Best regards,
Carla
4/12/2021
Selma
Hello Carla,
I have been into green smoothies for some time now and would like to start exploring wild herbs. What precautions should I take to avoid risking parasites, for example when gathering in the forest? Is thorough washing enough? Thank you in advance for your answer!
4/13/2021
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Selma,

thank you for your question. To prevent infection with parasites as much as possible, you should not harvest wild herbs in fields fertilized with manure. You can recognize fertilized fields, for example, by wild herbs like dandelions forming very large leaves and a comparatively low diversity of species. It's best if you find out who owns the field and whether conventional agriculture is practiced there. Collecting wild herbs in the forest would therefore be a good approach. On fields, you should know what is being practiced there.
Warm regards and good luck with your gathering. It would be best if you participated in a wild herb tour in your region: you can find offers for this here.

Carla
9/29/2020
Annelie
Hello Carla!
I am an absolute beginner when it comes to "blending at home." So please excuse the silly questions :-)
I want to try making a classic basil pesto with my newly purchased Bianco di Puro Piano. The recipe calls for 100 g of basil. How much is that actually? Is it one bunch, two bunches...? Do you use just the leaves or can you also use the stems? Will the specified amount be enough for the Piano or should I take a bit more of the ingredients?
I would be very grateful for your feedback!
Best regards, Annelie
9/29/2020
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Annelie,

First of all, welcome to the blender community! As we learned in school, there are no stupid questions:) The amount of basil in 100g will of course depend on the size of the bunch. At a weekly market during basil season, a bunch can be significantly larger than in a supermarket - at least that's been my experience. It's best to weigh it on-site. Generally speaking, 2-2.5 bunches should get you close to 100g.

You can use the stems of the basil as well, unless they are already woody - simply remove that part of the stem. The recipe is definitely suitable for the Piano - the great thing about its container is the ability to prepare smaller quantities. And with 350ml, the Piano's container should handle it without any problems. Just use the tamper to guide the mixture towards the blades when making the pesto.

Enjoy making basil pesto with your Bianco di Puro Piano!

Carla
10/2/2020
Annelie
Dear Carla,
I would like to thank you for your wonderful support. The pesto turned out very well and tasted delicious. I didn't even have to work with the tamper much. My blender almost autonomously processed everything into a beautifully creamy mixture. I took a bit more garlic, used pine nuts instead of walnuts, and left out the ice cube - the pesto did not oxidize. I am absolutely thrilled!
Best regards, Annelie
10/2/2020
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Annelie,

That makes me very happy! Thank you for providing feedback again - and wonderful that your Bianco di Puro Piano supported you so well in making the pesto!

Warm regards,
Carla
4/14/2020
Alexandra
Hello Carla,
I have been diving more and more into the topic of wild herbs courses, hikes, dietary changes, and a high proportion of raw food. This spring, my salads consist only of wild herb mixtures and hardly any store-bought lettuce. Sometimes my salad blends taste good, sometimes not so much, but I figure the most important thing is to get plenty of leafy greens and chlorophyll into my body. Being alone makes it easier to implement, and I don't have to go far to get the wild herbs... I have tried smoothies with pure wild herbs, and I was not satisfied with my blends. Maybe I should look at recipes, but usually, things need to be done quickly, and I don't have everything on hand. Since the body detoxifies in the morning, it's important for me to be able to incorporate a smoothie as often as possible. I wish for something with nettle, ground-elder... do you have any tips for me? I have already made wild herb pesto, I am particularly excited about your recipes. Thank you very much.
Best regards, Alexa.
4/14/2020
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Alexa,

Thank you so much for your comment. How wonderful that you have such great access to wild herbs. Perhaps you'd like to try out our Wild Herb Smoothie Recipes. Enjoy and savor them!

Carla
4/13/2020
Ursel
Hello dear Smoothie Team,
Yes, I have been making pesto from all kinds of herbs (garden and wild herbs) for several years. Until now, I always used my Moulinette for this, but since I have owned the Vitamix E310 since last year, I also use it for pesto. However, not exclusively, as sometimes the quantities are not always large enough for the Vitamix to provide me with a satisfactory result. That's why I'm considering whether the Vitamix S30 would be a sensible additional purchase.
Here's a tip on the shelf life: I use relatively small jars to fill the pesto, fill them only about 3/4 full, then pour enough oil on top to cover everything well, and then store it in the refrigerator. This way, my pesto lasts quite a long time, so I have pesto in various varieties all year round. I even discovered a jar from 2018 the other day!!
4/20/2020
Sly
Hello Ursel, so by filling them with oil, the pesto jars will last for months in the refrigerator - is that right? Do you add salt for preserving, or does it last just like that with the oil? Do you also mix pine nuts and Parmesan at the same time, or just herbs, wild garlic? Parmesan itself wouldn't be so durable for such a long time, right?
4/14/2020
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Ursel,

Thank you so much for your comment. It's incredible how long the pesto lasted for you. Great tip or addition to sealing the pesto with oil in the jar. That's exactly how we do it too.

All the best to you - warm regards,
Carla
4/12/2020
Jenni
Hi Ladies,

Yesterday I blended some vegan wild garlic pesto. Today, I stirred it into the risotto along with some feta and added a sprinkle of field salt. It was truly delicious. Best regards and stay healthy, Jenni.
4/14/2020
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Jenni,

Thank you for your comment. What a combination - I'm sure it tasted amazing.

Warm regards,
Carla
10/15/2019
E.
I wanted to make the tomato pesto now, but my bianco piano had some major issues with it. The blade kept spinning freely and pushing the mixture to the side, so I couldn't do anything with the tamper.

Unfortunately, I then tried to push down without the lid... not a good idea. The tamper is now slightly peeled, which really annoyed me, as everything was completely new :-/

What could have caused this?
10/16/2019
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Oh no, that's a shame! I think it was because the amount or the mix was too small. Even for the Piano, you need 400 ml of prepared amount for the pesto.

Best regards, Carla
9/10/2019
Ursel l.
Hello Carla,
I would love to make the tomato basil pesto in my Vitamix E 310, but unfortunately, I don't have any pine nuts. What can I use as a substitute for them? I am also looking for a good recipe for vegetable broth. Do you perhaps have any ideas or guidance on that? I would greatly appreciate a response.
Warm regards, Ursel Lichtinger
10/10/2019
E
Hi! Roasted sunflower seeds also work wonderfully, and they are super regional. ;)
10/15/2019
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Great, thanks for the hint.
Best regards,
Carla
9/11/2019
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Hello Ursel,

why not try the pesto with cashews? We don't have a recipe for vegetable broth yet, but you'll surely find one online.

Best regards,
Carla
7/15/2019
Kerstin
I would be happy to test your Rosso version. Why not use tomatoes in oil directly instead of soaking them overnight in oil? Here's a tip regarding the shelf life: I only add Parmesan directly to the pesto when serving it, meaning no Parmesan goes into the pesto itself, so it lasts much longer in the refrigerator.
Warm regards,
Kerstin
5/2/2019
Sabine
Hello, I wanted to prepare a small amount of pesto, which has not succeeded, probably because it was too little – Too bad. Is there a tip from you?
With kind regards!
5/6/2019
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Sabine,

depending on the shape of the container, you need to make different minimum quantities of pesto so that the blades don't run dry. Which blender do you have? The ingredients should cover the blades.
Kind regards, Carla
4/30/2019
Frauke
Moin,
We liked to prepare pesto with wild garlic. One batch with Parmesan and pine nuts, one with feta cheese and walnuts.
Both batches are delicious. Since the garden is yielding larger quantities right now, we froze the jars. That works great. We always take out only as much as needed.
4/30/2019
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Frauke,
thank you so much for your feedback on the wild herb pesto!
Great that you have so much wild garlic in the garden, I love the taste a well!!
Best regards, Carla
11/6/2018
Gerlinde
How long can one store the pesto for? It's not heated like jam... Best wishes, Gerlinde
11/7/2018
Carla von GrüneSmoothies.de
Dear Gerlinde, homemade pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 1 week, if not longer. To do this, fill the pesto into sterilized glass jars and seal the top edge with a little oil after each use.

Tip for sterilizing the jars: Wash the jars well and bake them in the oven at 180 degrees for about 10 minutes. Then leave them in the closed oven until they have cooled. Warm regards, Carla