Cooking the garlic removes its sharpness.
This take on the much-loved Italian sauce features fresh herbs, almonds, and artichoke hearts. It's also very versatile: "If you have an abundance of basil from your windowsill plant or leftover parsley from a recipe, swap it in for some of the other herbs," says New York City–based recipe developer Beth Lipton. You can also use toasted walnuts, pistachios, or hemp seeds in place of the almonds. Another boon of this recipe is that it can be made year-round, thanks to the inclusion of frozen artichoke hearts, which come in large quantities and require no prep.
Toss with cooked whole-wheat pasta, spoon on top of an omelet, brush on proteins before roasting, or serve on a charcuterie board.
Ingredients
Directions
Step 1
Place garlic and 2 tablespoons oil in a small, unheated skillet. Turn heat to low and cook until mixture sizzles. Let sizzle for 30 seconds, then remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl to cool.
Step 2
Combine artichoke hearts, parsley, basil, mint, almonds, lemon juice, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a food processor and pulse to chop and combine. Add garlic mixture and pulse a few times to combine. With machine running, drizzle in 6 tablespoons oil until mixture is smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. If pesto is very thick, drizzle in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve, or cover and refrigerate to serve later. Store, refrigerated, for up to five days.
Photography by Robert Bredvad. Food and Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan.