1 of 2 photos

Photo by:

Add this recipe to your:

Send this recipe:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cups 191g Recipe makes 2 cups) The following items or measurements are not included below: 8 green olives
Calories 935
Calories from Fat 905		(96%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 100.6g	154%
	Saturated Fat 13.1g	65%
	Monounsaturated Fat 61.9g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 22.4g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 744mg		31%
Potassium 482mg		13%
Total Carbohydrate 9.9g		3%
	Dietary Fiber 4.1g	16%
	Sugars 2.2g
Protein 6.4g		12%
how is this calculated?

Parsley Pesto (Useful for Many Dishes!)

Recipe #320393 | 15 min | 15 min prep | add private note

⁽³⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: Zurie
Aug 19, 2008

Simple throw-together recipe, for which you really must have garden-fresh flat-leafed parsley. Use lime juice if possible, it's so tangy. Parsley is one of the most nutritious herbs, packed with antioxidants, but seldom used in quantity. I can eat this by the spoonful! This is a mild-tasting thick sauce, which improves in flavour if left at room temperature for a few hours. You might need less olive oil. Please taste the sauce and season to your taste. I find that despite the olives and capers it needs a good pinch of sea salt flakes. This pesto or puree will not overpower delicate tastes like fish. It's great with chicken, roast veggies, potatoes, or spread it thickly on toast and top with poached egg.

2 cups (change servings and units)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh parsley leaves, rinsed well, roughly chopped, pressed into the measuring cup
1-2 tablespoon capers
8-10 green olives, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts (or use macadamias)
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (or use lime)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1
Very fresh flatleaf parsley gives the best results. Do not use "old" parsley which has been in your fridge for a while. Fresh from the garden is best!
2
Using a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until a puree forms. It can be as fine or as grainy as you prefer. A blender is easiest to use for this smallish quantity.
3
Taste for seasoning. The thickness will depend on how much parsley has been used, but the olive oil should be enough to make a thick sauce. Start with 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice and taste: I did think the 3rd tablespoon was needed to add enough flavour.
4
Serve in spoonfuls on fish fillets or chicken breasts which have been lightly seasoned. Use with other ingredients such a hardboiled eggs, as a sandwich spread or filling, or on toast, and topped with fried or poached eggs.

Questions about this recipe?

Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: Margie99

On Aug 15, 2009

This was really good. I left out the capers as I did not have any. I also toasted the walnuts and left out the sugar. I put it on a pasta salad which is chilling a bit in the fridge. I tasted it first and it was yummy. I was thinking about getting some more parsley tomorrow and I bet fresh lemon juice would be great. MMMmmm

0 people found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO

From: Amy Rose

On Apr 19, 2009

Very very refreshing. The only change I made was to not add sugar-personal preference. Great on tri-tip - thanks for a healthy and tasty pesto !

0 people found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO

From: Cucina Casalingo

On Nov 18, 2008

This is a good versatile pesto. I had lots of parsley in my herb garden that I needed to use before it was killed off this winter, so I tried this recipe. I strayed from the original recipe just a little because of how I think I'll use it. I did not add the olives and I used walnut oil as well as olive oil. The nutty flavor came through without the "nut texture". I pureed it quite finely and froze it in small portions to take out as needed this winter. I have found that silicon muffin cups work beautifully! (I placed 6 on a plate, filled each with the pesto, froze them and, when solid, popped them out and put them in an air-tight freezer container.) I'll have fresh parsley flavor whenever I need it. Thanks for this idea of how to use up extra herbs.

2 people found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you? YES | NO

Read all 3 reviews