Homemade Radish Leaf Pesto from Idea Land blog #recipe #garden(Used in this project: Circle Labels and Circle Tags in Caption style.)

Pesto is one of my favorite all-purpose sauces, and it’s also one of the easiest to make at home if you have a food processor. I grow basil in my garden each year just so I can make loads of pesto to freeze for the winter, and I use walnuts instead of pine nuts to keep costs down. The taste difference is negligible.

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Luckily, basil isn’t the only green that can be used to make a pesto. You can use all sorts of herbs and greens, like parsley and cilantro. This year, I grew two different types of radishes, and used the young leaves to make a radish leaf pesto with almonds that was super delicious, so I thought I’d share my recipe with you here.

Homemade Radish Leaf Pesto from Idea Land blog #recipe #garden

Both pesto recipes yield about one cup of pesto, which can be served immediately, or stored in an airtight container for up to a week. I usually like to let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two before I serve it so the flavors can meld together, and then I’ll use it over pasta, as a pizza sauce, over baked chicken or potatoes, or as a sandwich spread. Enjoy!

Radish Leaf Pesto

• 1 ½ to 2 cups radish leaves, washed with stems removed
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 clove garlic
• 2-3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or store in the freezer.

Homemade Radish Leaf Pesto from Idea Land blog #recipe #garden

Basil Pesto with Walnuts

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Combine all ingredients together in a food processor and pulse until you’ve reached desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze.

To package my pesto, I used small wide-mouth ball jars, and Caption style tags and labels so I could insert photos from my garden.

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Homemade Radish Leaf Pesto from Idea Land blog #recipe #garden

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More homemade gift ideas from Lindsay:

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Lindsay (114 Posts)

Lindsay is a writer/blogger from Oregon who loves crafting, cooking, gardening, and simple living. You can find her writing about all of this and more on her blog A Wooden Nest.


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