Spring is the best time of year for foraging – I can’t help but bring home a handful of wild garlic from every walk we go on! One of my favourite ways to use the seasonal leaves is to make wild garlic pesto. It’s great on pasta, spread in a sandwich, or for dipping crudités…
As you probably know, pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts. However, they are often quite expensive! Since the wild garlic is essentially free, I’ve substituted the pine nuts for almonds to make this recipe super cost-effective. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to whizz up in a blender!
As a bonus, I’ve also included a quick pasta recipe that uses the wild garlic pesto as a base. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below…
Method
Follow these steps to make our Wild Garlic Pesto
Start by washing your wild garlic, removing all dirt and debris. Once washed, pat dry with a tea towel. Set aside until making your pesto.
Although raw almonds are fine for this recipe, I’d recommend toasting your almonds for maximum flavour. We do this in a dry pan until golden brown, or low and slow in the oven. Be careful not to let them burn, as this can make your pesto slightly bitter. Add the toasted almonds to your blender.
When you’re ready to make your pesto, start by lightly gently blending all of the ingredients, apart from the olive oil. Do this until a rough paste forms (this took less than 60 seconds!).
With the blender on the lowest setting, gradually add your olive oil to the blended mixture until everything is well combined. Add your salt and pepper, and blend for a few seconds to mix. Taste and adjust your seasonings as needed – and that’s it, your pesto is ready!
Enjoy your pesto as it is with toasted pitta bread or crudites of your choosing. To make a delicious pasta dish with your wild garlic pesto, start by cooking a few handfuls of your favourite dried pasta. In the last few minutes of cooking time, add a cup of peas to the pasta. Once cooked, drain and set aside (reserving just a dash of pasta water).
In a separate pan, add a few tablespoons of wild garlic pesto to a pan. Once bubbling, add in your cooked pasta and peas, as well as the reserved pasta water. Mix well until the pasta is warm and coated with the beautiful herby mixture. Serve the wild garlic pasta in your favourite bowl and top with more sliced almonds (for extra colour, grate some lemon zest over the top)! Enjoy!
How To Store Wild Garlic Pesto
Storing your pesto couldn’t be easier! Your wild garlic pesto will last for up to a month in the fridge in an airtight jar. If you’re planning to stock up for the year ahead, simply add the wild garlic pesto to an ice cube tray, freeze, and then transfer the frozen pesto cubes to a Tupperware container/freezer bag and pop them straight into pasta as and when desired.
All Things Wild Garlic With Savery Grazing
Are you as obsessed with wild garlic as we are? Good! We have SO many recipes using wild garlic, including scones, mayonnaise, herb oil, and so much more, all of which you can find on this website.
If you’d like to know more about us, or you’d like to follow our journey, why not keep up to date with us over on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest? Don’t forget to share your finished dishes with us in the comments below!
Want to know what else is in season at this time of the year? Read our month-by-month seasonal eating guide…
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