The Padrón pepper and walnut pesto is delicious, and I make it quite often when I find these green peppers in my area. They’re not always just green, as in this case, there were some red ones, too, which is why the pesto isn’t entirely green, but I assure you the flavor is fabulous, perfect for dressing pasta or spreading on a warm bruschetta, perhaps adding slices of cheese or some cured meats.
The Padrón pepper pesto can be made with either cooked or raw peppers. Today, I made it with cooked ones, but last time I made it raw, and it was fabulous, so I’m sharing both versions with you.
Below are other recipes to make a different and always tasty pesto every time, and then let’s discover right after the photo how to prepare the Padrón pepper and walnut pesto!!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for Padrón pepper and walnut pesto
- 7 oz Padrón peppers
- 1 shallot (or half a small onion)
- 1.8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- 1.4 oz walnut kernels
- 1 bunch basil
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pinches salt
Tools
- 1 Immersion blender
Preparation of Padrón pepper and walnut pesto
To prepare the Padrón pepper and walnut pesto, first wash the peppers, then cut off the tops, remove the seeds, and chop them into pieces.
Peel and finely chop the shallot and the onion, and let them soften in a pan with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
When they start becoming transparent, add the Padrón peppers and let them absorb the flavors. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cook them on low heat for 5 minutes.
Let them cool down a bit, and in the meantime, wash and dry the basil.
Once the peppers are lukewarm, blend them with an immersion blender along with the basil and walnut kernels.
Add the extra virgin olive oil gradually, only if needed to make it creamy.
Salt at the end and incorporate the grated cheese.
If you don’t like or don’t have walnuts, you can use peeled almonds or, even better, pine nuts.
If you wish, you can add a clove of garlic without the germ along with the Padrón peppers while blending them.
Place the pesto thus prepared in a glass jar with an airtight seal, covering the surface with extra virgin olive oil, and store it in the fridge.
Clean the Padrón peppers as indicated above, cut them into pieces, and place them in the container of your immersion blender.
Add the garlic clove, the basil leaves, and blend intermittently, gradually incorporating the extra virgin olive oil.
Salt after blending, add the grated cheese, mix well, and seal in a glass jar with an airtight lid.
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How to store Padrón pepper pesto
The Padrón pepper and walnut pesto can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1 week.
Other recipes
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