Parsley Pesto

Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 10 min.

Makes

3/4 cup

Updated: May. 12, 2023
Homemade pesto always makes a thoughtful hostess gift. Mix things up with this parsley pesto variation. It's delicious served with pasta or in one of these recipes using pesto. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil or cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup tightly packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. In a food processor, puree all ingredients. Refrigerate for several weeks or freeze in a tightly covered container. Toss a few tablespoons pesto with hot cooked pasta.
Parsley Pesto Tips

How do you freeze parsley pesto?

To freeze this parsley pesto, transfer it into an ice cube tray, then cover and freeze. Once the pesto is fully frozen, remove it from the tray, transfer it into a resealable plastic freezer bag, and return it to the freezer. To freeze it in a large batch, make sure to leave a 3/4-inch space at the top of the container, then add a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the pesto from browning. To use frozen parsley pesto, thaw it in the refrigerator for 2 hours before adding it to your pan with a dash of oil.

How do you make pesto not bitter?

If you find your pesto to be too bitter, try upping the Parmesan, lemon or salt. Overmixing can also sometimes cause bitterness, so only blend only until all of the ingredients are combined in the food processor.

What else can I do with lots of parsley?

If you find yourself with an abundance of parsley, try making some recipes that use parsley, like our cheese and fresh herb quiche. You can also freeze fresh parsley to use later—here's how to freeze herbs.

—Maggie Knoebel, Taste of Home Associate Recipe Editor/Tester

Nutrition Facts

2 tablespoons: 97 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 114mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.