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This incredibly delicious walnut pesto is creamy and full of nutty, savory flavor. It’s easy to make, ready in 5 minutes, and sure to become your new favorite pasta sauce!
Published in March 2020/Updated in April 2025
I’m excited to re-share one of my favorite pesto sauce recipes. It’s so simple, delicious, and versatile.
Made with walnuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, and a slice of bread soaked in milk, this walnut pesto will surprise you with its irresistible creaminess and flavor.
Hey, have you noticed the recipe doesn’t call for any cream? Yes, no cream is required here, and it’s rich, smooth, and luscious, yet light, without being overloaded with olive oil or heavy cream.
This simple Italian recipe, traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, comes from the Liguria region of Italy. It’s rustic and flavorful, like its most well-known cousin,
And it’s ridiculously easy to make: blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth and delicious.
This is the recipe to keep in your back pockets when you have company or crave a scrumptious pasta dish ready in no time. It’s effortless yet elegant enough for a dinner party, and it also makes a delicious appetizer when spread on crusty bread—hello, walnut crostini!
What’s not to love, seriously?
Yes, if you love walnuts and a creamy bowl of pasta full of flavor, look no further; this walnut pesto recipe is for you!
List of the ingredients
- Walnuts
- A slice of bread
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Milk
- Salt & pepper
Equipment
I recommend using a small for this recipe.
How to make walnut pesto
(Note: This is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page.)
- Soak the bread in the milk for 2 minutes.
- Blend all the ingredients until you achieve a pesto-like consistency. I recommend using a food processor, as the pesto is not liquid enough to blend in a blender.
- Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
Recipe notes
ingredients & substitutions
Walnuts: You need shelled walnuts for this recipe—there is no need to toast them first. However, if you use walnut pesto for your pasta, I recommend topping it with toasted chopped walnuts to take it to the next level,.
Bread: The Italian recipe calls for bread soaked in milk, a great trick for adding body and creaminess to the pesto without using cream. I usually use ciabatta, but any white bread without added sugar, including gluten-free bread, should work.
Milk: Cow’s milk is used for texture and flavor, but you can substitute it with your favorite plant-based alternative.
Extra-virgin olive oil: This is the best choice for both flavor and nutrition. I don’t use too much olive oil in my walnut pesto recipe, but I recommend using extra-virgin olive oil—less is more!
Garlic: It’s essential for its aromatic, pungent flavor, but we don’t want it to overshadow the walnut flavor; you need about 1/4 tsp of grated fresh garlic. Go easy on garlic!
Parmesan cheese: This is another key ingredient for the best pesto recipes. The longer Parmesan cheese is aged, its flavor is more intense and salty. You can skip it if you don’t have it on hand, but the final result will be different.
Seasoning: I recommend adjusting the seasoning at the end, as the saltiness also depends on the age of your Parmesan. I also love grinds of freshly ground black pepper when it’s time to serve the walnut pesto with pasta. YUM.
Herbs: I left the fresh herbs out as I wanted the walnuts to be the stars of the show, but you can add some fresh basil leaves or fresh marjoram for a more aromatic flavor.
How to serve walnut pesto
This versatile walnut pesto recipe makes a fabulous pasta sauce but can also be used to spread delicious crostini and canapes. Below are a few ideas and tips!
- Walnut Pesto Pasta: Cook and drain your pasta, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Stir the pasta with the walnut pesto, gradually adding some of the pasta water to loosen the pesto until smooth and creamy. But you don’t need the full cup—trust your judgment. Finally, top each serving with crispy walnuts and shaved parmesan cheese to make it fancy!
- Appetizer: Think of crusty crostini spread with flavorful walnut pesto and topped with crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese. The earthy taste of walnuts goes beautifully with salty cheese!
- Salads: Try it with salads made with celery or apples, such as my .
- And pizza? Yes, it tastes amazing on this , and it’s great to jazz up white pizzas from and to this super simple
Storage tips
You can store the walnut pesto in an airtight container or a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
ARE WALNUTS GOOD FOR YOU?
Not only are walnuts delicious, but they’re also packed with vitamins, minerals, precious antioxidants, and omega-3 fats. This rich nutrient profile offers potential benefits for brain health and heart function.
MORE PESTO RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!
Lastly, if you make this walnut pesto or have a question, let me know by leaving a comment. I would love to hear from you! x
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Walnut Pesto
This incredibly delicious walnut pesto is creamy and full of nutty, savory flavor. It's easy, quick to make, and sure to become your new favorite pasta sauce! The recipe yields 1¼ cups, enough for 4 servings of pasta (combine the pasta with pesto and a splash of pasta cooking water until the pasta is well coated and creamy).
Ingredients
- 1 (25-30 grams) Slice of ciabatta bread, crust removed
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Milk (use more milk for a thinner consistency)
- 1 cup (100 grams) Walnut halves, shelled (plus more for serving – optional)
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) Parmesan, grated
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 small garlic clove, grated (about ¼ tsp)
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Soak the bread in milk: Remove the crust, tear it up, place it in a small bowl with milk, and leave it to soak for a couple of minutes or until soft.
- Make the pesto: Put the walnuts, garlic, and grated parmesan into a small food processor. Whizz into a coarse texture. Add the bread with the milk, salt (start with ¼ tsp), pepper, and olive oil. Pulse until well combined into a pesto-like consistency, adding a touch of extra milk for a thinner texture.
- Adjust the seasoning: Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. If the parmesan cheese is not salty enough, you might want to add more salt. It depends on the age of your parmesan.
- Serve: Use your walnut pesto as a pasta sauce and serve it with a drizzle of olive oil, ground black pepper, and toasted chopped walnuts for a crunchy texture (optional). You can also spread it onto crusty bread or crackers or transfer it to a jar with a lid and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!
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