The Ultimate Condiment and a Delicious Sheet Pan Gnocchi Recipe!

Happy Monday!  If you are here for the Sheet Pan Gnocchi Recipe, that is extra content for paid subscribers at the bottom of the newsletter.  

I assumed for most of my life that there was only one kind of pesto - “Pesto Genovese,” which is the traditional basil pesto with basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.  My father had many gardens of vegetables when I was growing up and he always had a small, dedicated garden for basil.  He consistently planted too much basil every year and then yelled at us that we weren’t consuming it fast enough!  We ate A LOT of pesto, but we loved it and never complained if we had it a couple times in a week.  

Pesto is my absolute favorite condiment or sauce and I use it in so many different ways.  I also don’t follow the “rules” anymore. 

•  I will sub ANY nut or even hemp seeds for pine nuts (I love walnuts or using Corky’s walnut meal.)

• My favorite is half basil and half parsley but I have subbed cilantro, kale, arugula, and spinach for some of the herbs.

• I have swapped in Pecorino (a sheeps milk cheese) or Cotija in a pinch.  

• I have used dark brown miso (half) in place of cheese and salt for a dairy-free pesto.

• I also use a food processor and not a mortar and pestle. I know, I’m such a slacker.

• There are also recipes on my site for broccoli pesto and kale pesto.

• I recently discovered Pesto Trapanese, a pesto made from tomatoes. Delicious!! Will tinker with a recipe soon.

But I always make pesto from scratch because I think it’s better homemade.  And it’s so easy and way cheaper.

I am making pesto weekly right now and at the end of the summer, I will make a ton of it and freeze it for the fall and winter months.

Mortar and Pestle | This is the traditional way to make pesto. But I like it a little smoother.

Personal Blender | I use this blender now for smaller batches.

Food processor | This is my appliance of choice to make pesto.  I can make a lot and I can pulse the ingredients if I want to have more texture.

Blanching basil | Some people like to blanch the basil leaves to take some of the bitterness away and help the color of the pesto stay bright green.  It’s really interesting because my pesto never turns an off color but when I make it at my mom’s house, the color of the pesto starts to turn before I get it out of the food processor! Anyone have any thoughts about that?

Storing Pesto

I usually use some and freeze some, but it lasts for weeks in the fridge in a tightly sealed container (I prefer glass or the Zwilling Fresh and Save System.)  After you place it in the container, pour the thinnest layer of olive oil on top so the pesto doesn’t come into contact with air and oxidize.  It will firm up in the fridge, but you can still use it that way.

Freezing Pesto

You can freeze it in glass or whatever containers you have at home.  I like using Souper Cubes 1- or 2-cup silicone molds.  You can pop out the frozen pesto so easily.  

Some Uses for Pesto…

When adding pesto to pasta - I still reserve a little pasta cooking liquid to add to the pasta and pesto.

Add a dollop to a vinaigrette for a pesto dressing…

Toss pesto with boiled potatoes and tomatoes. Or the Italian Potato Salad with pesto!

Dollop on pizza …

Spread on a sandwich or mix with mayo and spread on a sandwich …

Stir (don’t blend) into hummus 

Add to minestrone soup (or tomato soup.)

Even More Musings is an extension of my weekly newsletter, Monday Musings. My newsletter is a sponsor-free zone and is fully supported by readers like you. Consider becoming a paid subscriber to get Even More Musings! Each week, I share my tips and tricks along with a new recipe. For only $5/month or $50/year (less than $1 a newsletter), you'll also gain access to the entire archive, featuring favorites like My New Hyper-fixation High-Protein Fluffy Breakfast Bowl and the Hillstone Copycat Emerald Kale Salad. This week I am sharing an easy one-pan meal that my family LOVED - sheet pan gnocchi with sausage and pesto!  I’ll even share my favorite plant-based sausages….