Sweet and enveloping, the pumpkin and walnut pesto is a perfect autumnal cream to bring all the fragrance of the season to the table. The pumpkin is cut into cubes and cooked in a pan, walnuts and parmesan are added, then everything is blended with a mixer. A sprig of rosemary and a clove of garlic complete the recipe with aromatic and rustic notes.
This pesto is incredibly versatile: delicious for dressing pasta, but also ideal for spreading on crostini, for a simple and refined appetizer. Try it too, it is prepared in a few minutes but it is really tasty!
Here are some other tasty ideas:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 142.48 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.26 (g) of which sugars 2.36 (g)
- Proteins 3.27 (g)
- Fat 12.36 (g) of which saturated 0.72 (g)of which unsaturated 0.26 (g)
- Fibers 0.98 (g)
- Sodium 77.33 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 14 oz pumpkin (net weight)
- 1 cup walnuts (shelled)
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsps grated parmesan cheese
- 1 sprig rosemary
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools
- Pan
- Mixer
- Nutcracker
- Bowl
Preparation
After removing the peel and seeds, cut the pumpkin into cubes.
Put them in a pan, with a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt, a clove of garlic, and a sprig of rosemary (1).
Cook over medium heat until the pumpkin is soft, adding a little hot water if necessary.
Let it cool slightly, then transfer it to a mixer (if you don’t like garlic, remove the clove). Add the walnuts and the parmesan (2).
Blend until a creamy pesto is obtained, adding a little more oil gradually (3).
Transfer the pumpkin pesto to a bowl, adjust with salt and pepper and mix. If desired, you can add some more fresh chopped rosemary.
Pumpkin and walnut pesto is ready to be used, for garnishing crostini or dressing pasta.
Tips and Notes
Adjust the density of the pesto according to your tastes: if you prefer it smoother and more fluid, you can add a little water or broth while blending.
You can cook the pumpkin cubes in the oven instead of in a pan: it will take 15-20 minutes, depending on the size.
FAQ
How can I substitute walnuts?
You can substitute them (completely or partially) with almonds or hazelnuts.
Can I omit the parmesan?
Of course, you’ll have a great vegan version of pumpkin pesto.
