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    Home » Recipes » Dips and Pestos

    Parsley Pesto Recipe - Fresh And Easy

    Published: Sep 3, 2018, Last updated: Jul 7, 2021 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

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    The easiest parsley pesto made with simple ingredients and ready in only 2 minutes! You can use this pesto in so many ways from pasta, with fish or chicken, in salads, sandwiches or as a dip. It's the easiest way to add a ton of flavor to your food!

    Parsley pesto in a white bowl with a spoon

    You probably already know that pesto is one of my favourite things ever. The most common known basil pesto is incredibly delicious (when homemade, I hate the jarred stuff) BUT you also make pesto with parsley!

    Yup, you can pretty much make pesto with any herb...fresh coriander (cilantro) is also delicious with many Mexican dishes but the basil and parsley varieties are brilliant with Mediterranean and Italian food.

    What's In Parsley Pesto? Here's What You'll Need;

    • Parsley
    • Lemon juice
    • Garlic
    • Parmesan
    • Pine nuts
    • Olive oil
    • Salt and pepper

    How To Make Parsley Pesto - Step By Step

    There are two ways to make pesto. The traditional way to make pesto is using a mortar and pestle, add all the ingredient to the mortar and grind and bash it into a paste. Some Italians in the north of Italy will even argue that if it's not made in a mortar and pestle then it ain't pesto (talking about basil pesto).

    The other method and the one I use regularly for quickness is using a bowl and immersion (handheld) blender. I just add all the ingredients to a bowl and blend until smooth and thick. Done!

    Step by step photos for making parsley pesto

    Flat Leaf Parsley Vs Curly Parsley

    I'm not really a fan of curly parsley I find it very coarse and I don't think the flavour is as nice as flat-leaf parsley either. Of course, you can use either but I recommend using only flat-leaf parsley to make this pesto as it'll result in a smoother consistency.

    Top Tips For Making Parsley Pesto

    • Yes, you can freeze pesto. Transfer it into an ice cube tray or store it in small plastic containers and freeze for up to 6 months.
    • Don't toast the pine nuts, I've seen many recipes recommend this but you get a nice creamy taste from un-toasted pine nuts.
    • You can use parmigiano reggiano cheese or hard pecorino cheese to make this pesto
    • Don't skip the garlic unless you have to it adds a ton of flavour
    A close up of parsley pesto in a white bowl

    Ways To Use Parsley Pesto

    • Toss with you favourite pasta or gnocchi
    • Spread on the base of a sandwich
    • Toss with spinach and serve as a side
    • Toss with any salad for extra flavour
    • Serve with roast chicken or grilled fish

    Check Out My Other Pesto Recipes

    • Basil Pesto
    • Sun dried tomato pesto
    • Cavolo Nero pesto
    • Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)

    If you’ve tried these Parsley Pesto or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.

    Step By Step Photos AboveMost of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
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    A close up of parsley pesto
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    5 from 6 votes

    Parsley pesto

    The easiest parsley pesto made with simple ingredients and ready in only 2 minutes! You can use this pesto in so many ways from pasta, with fish or chicken, in salads, sandwiches or as a dip. It's the easiest way to add a ton of flavor to your food!
    Course condiment
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 2 minutes
    Total Time 2 minutes
    Servings 1 cup (enough to serve 4 with pasta)
    Calories 547kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 2 oz (60g) flat leaf parsley ( 2 large handfuls)
    • 1 heaped tbsp pine nuts
    • 1 squeeze lemon juice (around 1 tsp)
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 tablespoon parmigiano reggiano or pecorino cheese freshly grated
    • 4 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients in a bowl and blitz until smooth with an immersion blender.
    • If using a mortar and pestle add it to the mortar and pound until smooth. Season and use as required.

    Notes

    • Yes, you can freeze pesto. Transfer it into an ice cube tray or store it in small plastic containers and freeze for up to 6 months.
    • Toss with you favourite pasta
    • Spread on the base of a sandwich
    • Toss with spinach and serve as a side
    • Toss with any salad for extra flavour
    • Serve with roast chicken or grilled fish
    Nutrition Facts
    Parsley pesto
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 547 Calories from Fat 522
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 58g89%
    Saturated Fat 8g50%
    Cholesterol 3mg1%
    Sodium 115mg5%
    Potassium 332mg9%
    Carbohydrates 5g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 5055IU101%
    Vitamin C 80.8mg98%
    Calcium 142mg14%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 5055IU | Vitamin C: 80.8mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 4mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Dips and Pestos

    • Artichoke Pesto (Quick 5 minute Recipe)
    • Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
    • Whipped Ricotta Dip with Roasted Tomatoes
    • Creamy White Bean Dip

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara_y

      December 14, 2022 at 9:46 pm

      I hadn't thought about using an immersion blender for something like this. It does work! But for me the two minute mark was a little short. I spent that much time unclogging. Next time: putting more into the prep and giving the parsley a good chop first.

      Reply
    2. Gail

      June 12, 2022 at 8:54 pm

      Can I mix my herbs such as parsley and basil?

      Reply
      • Emily

        June 16, 2022 at 2:51 pm

        Yes, no problem 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kim Kacer

      April 30, 2022 at 8:33 pm

      love this, I found via search engine searching: recipe pesto parsley lemon "pine nuts" voila, yours was at or near top. Exactly what I wanted, ty.5 stars

      Reply
    4. Laurie Clark

      April 18, 2022 at 6:19 pm

      Can you use a cuisinart?

      Reply
      • Emily

        April 18, 2022 at 6:33 pm

        Cuisinart blender? Yes, no problem!

        Reply
    5. Ann

      September 05, 2018 at 6:03 pm

      Never thought of using parsley for pesto, but I love your suggestions for using it! I happen to have a lot of parsley at the moment, so will have to try and freeze some before I lose it!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 05, 2018 at 6:36 pm

        Yes, definitely it's a great way to use it up! Thanks Ann.

        Reply
    6. Eden | Sweet Tea and Thyme

      September 05, 2018 at 4:52 pm

      Your photos are beautiful!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 05, 2018 at 6:00 pm

        Thanks so much Eden!

        Reply
    7. kim

      September 05, 2018 at 4:45 pm

      I'm a huge fan of pesto and yours sounds fabulous! I'll be making this soon!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 05, 2018 at 6:01 pm

        Thanks so much Kim, I love it too you can use it in so many ways!

        Reply
    8. Dannii

      September 05, 2018 at 4:43 pm

      We have been making loads of parsley pesto with the abundance we have growing in our garden.

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 05, 2018 at 6:01 pm

        This is such a great way of using it up!

        Reply
    9. Sandi

      September 05, 2018 at 4:35 pm

      We love to use parsley pesto on grilled chicken! It tastes amazing and is easy to make. Great recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        September 05, 2018 at 6:02 pm

        Mmm sounds so yummy! Thank you Sandi!

        Reply

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