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Sweet Pea Pesto

Name: Sweet Pea Pesto
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 20 pieces.
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 12 ounces fresh or frozen peas, thawed; 4 garlic cloves, halved; 1 teaspoon rice vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; 1/3 cup vegetable broth; 1 whole wheat French bread demi-baguette (about 6 ounces and 12 in. long); 2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces), halved or quartered

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Test Kitchen Approved

Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Makes

20 pieces

Updated: May. 26, 2023

I made a healthier spin on pea pesto by subbing in vegetable broth for some of the oil and going easy on the cheese. For use on pasta, add more broth for a saucelike consistency. —Amber Massey, Argyle, Texas

Sweet Pea Pesto Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Ingredients

12 ounces fresh or frozen peas, thawed
4 garlic cloves, halved
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1 whole wheat French bread demi-baguette (about 6 ounces and 12 in. long)
2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces), halved or quartered

Directions

Preheat broiler. Place peas, garlic, vinegar, salt and lemon pepper in a blender or food processor; pulse until well blended. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Add cheese; pulse just until blended. Add broth; pulse until mixture reaches desired consistency.

Cut baguette into 20 slices, each 1/2 in. thick. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Broil 4-5 in. from heat until golden brown, 45-60 seconds per side. Remove to wire rack to cool.
To assemble crostini, spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon pesto mixture; top with tomato pieces.

Sweet Pea Pesto Tips

How else can you use pea pesto?

In addition to making crostini, you can use pea pesto in a variety of ways. Serve it as a dip with crisp, fresh vegetables; as a sauce for pizza; or mix it with mayonnaise for a fantastic sandwich spread. Thin out the pesto with extra broth and drizzle it over breakfast eggs, or toss it with pasta to make dishes like pesto shrimp pasta and gnocchi with pesto sauce.

What else can you put in pesto?

You can put anything in pesto! Its high level of customization is one of the most compelling reasons to make pesto at home. For example, instead of using peas, go the all-basil classic pesto route, or change up the greens for spinach basil pesto or kale pesto. You can increase the sauce’s earthy quality by adding pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios or sunflower seeds, or make a nut-free pesto. To make pea (or any) pesto vegan-friendly, omit the Parmesan cheese and substitute in a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast.

Can you freeze pea pesto?

You can freeze pea pesto, but know it will not be as green and vibrant once thawed again. For easy use, freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray, transferring the cubes to a freezer-safe bag for long-term storage. Adding a small layer of olive oil over the pesto helps protect the color from fully dulling in the freezer. For best quality, use frozen pesto within 6 months.

—Lindsay Mattison, Taste of Home Contributing Writer

Nutrition Facts

1 crostini: 77 calories, 2g fat (trace saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 190mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.