How to Thicken Up Pesto

Top Italian bread and tomato with your thickened pesto as hors d'oeuvres.

Traditionally made with basil, garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan cheese, you will find this green, Italian paste called pesto served usually with pasta, although it also goes well on cheese pizza, roasted potatoes, rice, meats, fish and poultry. Pesto requires a thick consistency in order to spread on your favorite foods. Knowing how to thicken up your pesto when you run out of nuts or have nut allergies can also add to your dining pleasure. Vegans, vegetarians who do not eat animal products, may also appreciate knowing how to thicken pesto.

Things You'll Need

• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 cups fresh, packed basil leaves
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt (optional)
• 1 tbsp.n lemon juice
• Food processor
• 1/2 cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup white beans (optional)
• Blender
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup croutons
• Knife
• Baking sheet
• Cooking spray
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Beans

1. Put 3 cloves of crushed garlic, 2 cups of packed basil leaves, 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt if desired and 1 tbsp. of lemon juice into a food processor.

2. Puree 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans or puree 1/2 cup of white beans in a blender.

3. Add the pureed chickpeas or white beans in place of nuts into the food processor and press the "pulse" button of the food processor to blend the ingredients.

4. Drizzle 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of olive oil slowly into the processor's feed tube until the pesto becomes creamy. The beans will thicken your pesto plus add protein.

Croutons

1. Use 2/3 cup of croutons in place of nuts to make traditional pesto thicker. Use store-bought croutons or make your own by cutting bread into 1/2-inch cubes with a knife, spreading the cubes in one layer on a baking sheet, and then lightly spraying the cubes of bread toasting bread with cooking spray. Bake your croutons in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 minutes or until they are crispy and brown.

2. Put one minced garlic clove, croutons, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and 2 cups of fresh basil leaves into a food processor. Use the "pulse" button of the food processor to combine the ingredients until the pesto turns into a thick, crumb mixture.

3. Pour a slow stream of 1/2 cup of olive oil into the food processor while the processor runs until your pesto blends into a creamy consistency.

Tips & Warnings

• Use filberts, peanuts, cashews or walnuts as nut alternatives to pine nuts in your pesto.

• Fresh cilantro and parsley make ideal alternatives to basil when making pesto.

• Add a spoonful of thick pesto to a bowl of vegetable soup.

• Spread some pesto on a slab of tomato from your garden or on a thick slice of crusty bread as a snack.

• Use your thickened pesto made with croutons as a crust for fish or chicken by spreading it on chicken or fish and baking it.

• Pesto lasts up to two weeks in your refrigerator or up to three months in your freezer. Freeze your pesto inside of ice cube trays, then pop out the pesto cubes into sealable freezer bags. Use your cubes anytime you need to add pesto to a recipe.

References

• Farmer's Almanac; You Can Make Pesto Out of (Almost) Anything; Denise Dill; October 2010
• Washington State University Extension; Basil and Pesto; Carolyn Pauw Barden, et al.; September 2002
• "Pestos, Tapenades, and Spreads: 40 Simple Recipes for Delicious Toppings, Sauces & Dips"; Stacey Printz; 2009
• University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County; Cook it Quick! 12 Tasty Salad Toppers; Alice Henneman, M.S., R.D.

Resources

• Pesto Recipe