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Spruce Tip Pesto With Walnuts
Easy to make, aromatic spruce tip pesto recipe - with walnuts, Parmesan cheese and a small bunch of parsley.
EQUIPMENT
- 1 blender
INGREDIENTS
- 50 g spruce tips
- 120 g Parmesan cheese
- 140 g walnuts
- 10 g fresh parsley
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
- dry rosemary (optional)
- salt
- black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour the olive oil into a blender or food processor. Add fresh spruce tips and parsley. Slice up the garlic cloves and toss them in, followed by a good pinch of salt and a little black pepper. If you like, you can add a few dried rosemary needles for extra flavor.
- Blend everything together for a few minutes until the texture is nice and smooth. Take your time- these should be no bits of spruce needle left to surprise you.
- Once blended and smooth, pour in a few drops of fresh lemon juice, then add walnuts and parmesan. Blend again until everything comes together into a thick, creamy pesto.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, or olive oil if needed.
- Scoop your finished pesto into a clean jar or any container you have on hand. Serve it right away, or leave it overnight in the fridge for the spruce flavor really soak into everything.
NOTES
Pulse spruce tips with olive oil long enough for them to completely dissolve, and no needle pieces will remain. Add walnuts and cheese later.
Mix in other herbs, such as basil, sorrel, garlic scapes, stinging nettle, or dandelion greens.
Swap the nuts: hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or cashews all work well.
Try different cheeses—Grana Padano, Pecorino, aged goat or sheep cheese- all taste great here. Even a spoonful of ricotta can make it extra smooth and creamy.
Store spruce tip pesto in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a few weeks. To help keep it fresh, cover the top with olive oil.
For extended storage, freeze it. It will last up to six months. Ice cube trays work great—once frozen, pop the cubes into a zip-top bag and use only what you need. Old yogurt cups with foil also work.
You can also freeze raw spruce tips in small bags and use them later for tea, soups, or another batch of pesto.
Note: nutritional values for spruce tips are based on data for Norway spruce (Picea Abies)
Nutrition
Serving: 3.1oz | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 484mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 3.5g | Vitamin A: 2253IU | Vitamin C: 157mg | Calcium: 403mg | Iron: 3.6mg