After the pea pesto and the eggplant pesto, I couldn’t resist trying to make pumpkin pesto as well. Easy and quick, this pumpkin pesto is perfect for spreading on crostini or dressing a pasta dish. As we know, pumpkin is one of the iconic vegetables of the fall season and lends itself to numerous preparations: sweet and savory.
Today I used it to prepare a delicious pesto. For the preparation, it is obviously essential to first cook the pumpkin in a pan. Then I blended it with pine nuts, garlic, and a few sprigs of parsley. Of course, you can substitute the pine nuts with walnuts or other nuts of your choice. To give flavor, I also added grated cheese. I used Parmesan, but if you prefer stronger flavors, you can also use pecorino.
It’s a simple and quick recipe, to be stored in the fridge or freezer and consumed when needed. If you’re curious to discover how to prepare pumpkin pesto, follow me in the kitchen because it will be ready in a click!
If you’re interested in other pesto recipes, also check out:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2 small jars
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 266.77 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 14.46 (g) of which sugars 5.24 (g)
- Proteins 7.23 (g)
- Fat 22.05 (g) of which saturated 5.07 (g)of which unsaturated 5.36 (g)
- Fibers 1.75 (g)
- Sodium 2,499.31 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 156 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
- 12 oz pumpkin
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/3 cup pecorino (grated)
- chopped parsley (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Blender
- Pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Steps
To prepare the pumpkin pesto, first clean the pumpkin. Remove all seeds, the skin, and cut the amount needed for the recipe into small cubes. Clean the garlic cloves, cut them in half, and remove the less digestible inner part. Sauté in a pan with the oil for a few minutes and add the pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat with the lid on for about ten minutes or until the pumpkin is well cooked.
Let it cool and transfer it to a mixer. Add the pine nuts, grated cheese, and a sprig of parsley. Blend all the ingredients until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream.
The pumpkin pesto is ready to be used for your recipes.
Variations and Tips for Pumpkin Pesto
The pumpkin cream can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days maximum in glass jars or a glass container. Alternatively, it can also be frozen.
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FAQ Questions and Answers for Pumpkin Pesto
What can I substitute for pine nuts?
Instead of pine nuts, you can use walnuts or other nuts of your choice.
How can I substitute garlic?
You can substitute garlic with chopped onion, shallot, or leek.
