This Artichoke Walnut Pesto is the perfect addition to your next cheese board or appetizer platter! A little help from the store makes this pesto a breeze to get together quickly!
Quick & delicious appetizer recipes like this pesto are always good to have on hand! Be sure to check out our Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Shrimp and this classic Tomato Bruschetta!
Artichoke Walnut Pesto Appetizer Recipe
Sure we can smear this delicious Artichoke Walnut Pesto on top of crostini, but there’s SO many other ways to eat it! Make a crostini platter, yes, definitely do that. But also this pesto can be served as a dip with crackers, pita chips or vegetables.
This artichoke pesto isn’t just for appetizers, either my friends. Use it as a sandwich spread with grilled chicken or lunch meat, toss it with your favorite pasta and even stir it into a bowl of mashed potatoes.
What Is Pesto?
Pesto originated in Italy, and is traditionally made with garlic, pine nuts, fresh basil and good quality parmesan cheese. Of course, by now there are many different variations of pesto so you can use your creative skills to whip up your favorite kind!
For this Artichoke Walnut Pesto we’ve swapped out the basil for fresh parsley (although you can definitely use basil instead) the pine nuts for toasted walnuts and added artichoke hearts for flavor. The parmesan cheese is a must, so don’t leave that out!
How Do You Make Pesto?
Making pesto is really very easy to do. Just add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
The ingredients that you’ll need for this pesto recipe are:
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh parsley
- Frozen or jarred artichoke hearts
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Walnuts
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice
Once the pesto base is smooth, you’re going to drizzle in olive oil until the texture is creamy and oh so delicious. Taste the pesto for seasonings, adjust if needed and serve!
How Do You Serve This Artichoke Pesto?
As we’ve mentioned, this pesto is delicious served with toasted bread (AKA crostini), crackers, pita chips or vegetables for dipping. You can either serve the pesto with crostini as we’ve shown you here or assemble the crostini and serve on a platter.
The crostini will get a little soggy as it sits so only assemble the crostini if you know it’s going to get eaten fairly quickly.
Can I Use Another Nut Besides Walnuts In This Pesto Recipe?
Yes you can! Other options for nuts can include pine nuts (or pignoli) almonds, pecans, pistachios (which would be great in this recipe!) or even seeds like sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Make sure that you still toast whatever nut or seed that you are using to bring out the full flavor!
Can You Make Pesto Ahead Of Time?
Another yes! Yet another reason why this Artichoke Walnut Pesto is a home run appetizer. Not only can it be made in about 5 minutes but you can make it ahead of time too!
Store this pesto in a container in the refrigerator until you’re ready. Give it a stir before serving as the oil might separate slightly as it sits. And as always, I like to give it one last taste and adjust the seasonings if needed before serving!
Is Pesto A Vegetarian Recipe?
We’re going for the third yes here. I know this might seem obvious to most of you, but you wouldn’t believe the questions we get sometimes. So yes, pesto is typically a vegetarian recipe, as this recipe definitely is.
However, pesto isn’t vegan. There is a good amount of parmesan cheese in most pesto recipes, as there is in this one. Vegetarians rejoice, but vegans will have to find another option for the parmesan cheese.
Looking For More Easy Appetizer Recipes?
- Bacon Ranch Chicken Crescent Rolls
- Homemade Guacamole Recipe
- Tuna Melt Bruschetta
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Sausage Stuffed Artichoke Hearts
Artichoke Walnut Pesto
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeThis Artichoke Walnut Pesto is a 5 minute recipe! This nutty pesto can also be served as a dip with veggies or pita chips or use it on a sandwich or a pizza!
Ingredients
- 12 ounce bag frozen artichoke hearts, thawed *see note
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3/4 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, depending on your taste
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except the olive oil, to a food processor or a blender. I feel that the food processor works best for this pesto, unless you have a really good blender.
- Blend until the pesto is smooth and then drizzle in the olive oil while the processor is running. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed.
- Serve on toasted crostini or in a bowl with crackers or vegetables for dipping.
Recipe Notes
To make ahead and freeze: add all ingredients to food processor except parmesan cheese and olive oil. Defrost, then add parmesan cheese and the pesto to a food processor and blend while drizzling in the olive oil.
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
