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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » 10 Minute Recipes

    Mixed Herb Pesto

    Published: Apr 9, 2019 · Modified: Jan 26, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 30 Comments

    189 shares
    • 15
    Diet: Low Carb
    Jump to Recipe
    A jar of mixed herb pesto with a text title overlay.

    You just can't beat fresh homemade pesto. It's so quick and easy to whizz together in a food processor and it instantly takes cooked pasta to the next level. This Mixed Herb Pesto uses a mixture of 4 different herbs, rather than just basil, so it's a great way to reduce food waste. An easy pesto recipe with so many uses.

    A jar of pesto oon a wooden surfave.

    Traditionally pesto is made with basil and whilst I am all for that (it's probably my favourite herb), it doesn't mean that you can't make it with other herbs too. Or a mixture of herbs, which is what we have done in this recipe.

    We used a mixture of basil, chives, coriander and parsley, but any leafy herbs (rather than woody ones) will work.

    It doesn't just have to be herbs that you can use in this homemade pesto (although that should be the star ingredient), but you can add green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale too. Such a good way to hide veggies if your kids don't love them. Because what kid doesn't love pesto pasta?

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make pesto - Step by step
    • Using leftover herbs
    • Can it be made vegan?
    • How to use pesto
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • Recipes with pesto
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Cheaper than store bought pesto
    • Any herbs can be used
    • Good way to use up herbs
    • Can be used with lots of dishes

    Ingredients needed

    All the ingredients needed for this recipe with text overlay labels.
    • Garlic cloves - Crushed garlic cloves are best for flavour.
    • Parmesan - Real Parmesan is not vegetarian, so keep this a vegetarian pesto by using a vegetarian version.
    • Pine nuts - If you don't have pine nuts, you can use walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts.
    • Olive oil - Try to use the best quality olive oil you can get.
    • Mix of herbs - We used chives, basil, parsley and coriander.
    • Sea salt and black pepper

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    How to make pesto - Step by step

    One: Add the garlic, pine nuts, herbs and salt and pepper to a small food processor and whizz for a couple of seconds.

    A food processor with herbs and pine nuts in it.

    Two: Add the Parmesan to the food processor.

    Grated Parmesan added to the food processor.

    Three: Keeping the food processor running, slowly add the olive oil until it is all combined and you have a smooth pesto.

    Oil added to the processor.

    Using leftover herbs

    We try really hard to reduce our food waste, but herbs is something we can always improve on. We buy a bunch for a recipe and use half of it and then the other half gets forgotten about in the fridge until we do a clear out. This how much waste that adds up to over the year! So, we are going to be sharing our favourite ways to us up fresh herbs, this being one of them.

    Spaghetti mixed with pesto and sprinkles with chopped herbs.

    This homemade pesto recipe is so simple to throw together that it really isn't that much more complicated than going to the shop to buy some and then opening up the jar. You just throw all the ingredients in to the food processor and whizz it together.

    That's why pesto pasta is the ultimate easy weeknight meal. Fresh pasta takes just a few minutes to cook and whilst it is simmering away you can blend up this fresh pesto. Throw in some leftover cooked vegetables and/or some cooked chicken and you have yourself a filling and easy meal.

    Can it be made vegan?

    Pesto can be a great vegan pasta sauce, as long as you make a vegan version of it. It's easy to make vegan pesto - just swap the parmesan for nutritional yeast. You won't need quite as much though, as it has a strong flavour, but I know some people love that. So it really is a judgement call.

    How to use pesto

    The great thing about pesto is that it has so many uses. Whilst the classic way is to simply stir it through some pasta, you can also use it as a pizza base, stir it in to cream cheese or yogurt for a dip, spread on chicken and top with cheese before baking or use it in a salad dressing. Never let pesto go to waste!

    A plate of spaghetti mixed with pesto.

    FAQs

    How to store homemade pesto

    To keep your pesto fresh, fill a jar almost to the top and then drizzle over a small amount of oil over the top and seal. This can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 weeks if you keep covering the pesto with a little oil each time.

    Can pesto be frozen?

    You can freeze pesto by putting it in ice cube trays and putting in the freezer. To defrost, you should ideally remove from the freezer and defrost in the fridge for a couple of hours. If you need it defrosted quicker, put a pesto cube in a small bowl or cup and then put that into a larger bowl of hot water. Make sure the hot water doesn't spill into the container with the pesto cube. When the pesto starts to soften, you can cut it into smaller pieces to speed up the defrosting process.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Serve this easy pesto stirred through some fresh cooked pasta for a simple weeknight meal.
    • Use a variety of herbs to reduce food waste. Just stick to leafy herbs rather than woody ones.
    • Make this homemade pesto vegan by swapping the Parmesan for nutritional yeast, but use less as it has a stronger taste.

    Recipes with pesto

    • A bowl of pesto salad dressing with a spoon in it.
      Pesto Salad Dressing
    • Chicken pesto pasta on a plate next to a blue towel.
      Chicken Pesto Pasta
    • Aubergine Pizza
    • Pesto Salmon on a plate with asparagus and broccoli.
      Pesto Salmon

    If you’ve tried this homemade pesto recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    A jar of mixed herb pesto on a wooden surface.

    Mixed Herb Pesto

    By: Dannii Martin
    This Mixed Herb Pesto uses a mixture of 4 different herbs, rather than just basil, so it's a great way to reduce food waste.
    The words low carb in a white circle.
    Low Carb
    4.54 from 32 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Sauce/Spread
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep: 5 minutes mins
    Total: 5 minutes mins
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 196kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a carton of milk.
    Dairy
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 Garlic clove
    • 25 g (0.25 cups) Parmesan - grated
    • 20 g (0.25 cups) Pine nuts
    • 70 ml (0.33 cups) Olive oil
    • 30 g (1 cups) Mixed fresh herbs - (we used chives, basil, parsley and coriander)
    • 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper

    Instructions

    • Add 2 Garlic clove, 20 g Pine nuts, 30 g Mixed fresh herbs and 1 pinch Sea salt and black pepper to a small food processor and whizz for a couple of seconds.
    • Add 25 g Parmesan to the food processor.
    • Keeping the food processor running, slowly add 70 ml Olive oil until it is all combined and you have a smooth pesto.

    Recipe tips

    • Serve this easy pesto stirred through some fresh cooked pasta for a simple weeknight meal.
    • Use a variety of herbs to reduce food waste. Just stick to leafy herbs rather than woody ones.
    • Make this homemade pesto vegan by swapping the Parmesan for nutritional yeast, but use less as it has a stronger taste.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 51mg | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 0.7mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alicia

      July 06, 2022 at 1:55 am

      the 30g of herbs im not exactly understanding, is it 30g for each type of herb (you used 4 types) or is it a typo & should say 300g?

      Reply
      • Dannii

        July 06, 2022 at 7:28 am

        No, the recipe is correct - 30g of herbs total. The recipe is all about using whatever herbs you have, and we gave a suggestion of what we used. You could just use 30g of one herb, or 15g each of two herbs ect.

        Reply
    2. Susie D

      June 02, 2021 at 12:07 am

      I am just going to make up a big batch of pesto. I have Parsley, Oregano, Chives, Basil, and Rosemary. Is Rosemary one of the herbs that are considered woody? Would you omit the Rosemary altogether?

      Also, I am using cashews, which I have for most of my batches of basil pesto.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Dannii

        June 02, 2021 at 4:30 pm

        Yes, rosemary is a woody herb and I personally wouldn't add it.

        Reply
        • Susie DeWenter

          June 02, 2021 at 10:19 pm

          5 stars
          Left the rosemary out and it turned out just great. I had 17 cups of herbs so I made quite a bit. Thanks for the reply.
          Susie D

          Reply
          • Dannii

            June 03, 2021 at 9:34 am

            Happy to hear you enjoyed it :)

            Reply
      • Hazel

        January 16, 2022 at 9:39 pm

        5 stars
        Great recipe. Ratios are just right, Thank you. Used purple basil and parsley with Brazil nuts. Great way to use whatever I have on hand!

        Reply
    3. Danielle

      May 31, 2021 at 9:52 pm

      4 stars
      Great recipe but the garlic was a little intense for me. Personally I would probably scale down the garlic to one clove.

      Reply
      • Dannii

        June 02, 2021 at 4:29 pm

        Thanks for your comment. There is 2 garlic cloves in the whole recipe, which serves 4. That makes half a clove per person, which we don't think is that much. But it also depends on the size of your garlic cloves.

        Reply
    4. Joe keery

      August 29, 2019 at 11:20 am

      Whilst the extremely classic way is to simply with stirs it through some testy pasta, you can also simply use it as a pizza pasta base, stir it in to testy cream cheese or yoghurt for a dip tested, spread on fresh chicken and top with testy cheese before baking or use it before in a salad dressing.

      Reply
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