Walnut and Pea Pesto

Name: Walnut and Pea Pesto
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 6–8 tablespoons olive oil; Zest and juice of ½ lemon (around 1 tablespoon juice); 50 g (1¾ oz) Parmesan or vegetarian Italian hard cheese, grated (shredded); 50 g (1¾ oz) Parmesan or vegetarian Italian hard cheese, grated (shredded); 2 small garlic cloves; Zest and juice of ½ lemon (around 1 tablespoon juice); 150 g (5½ oz) frozen peas; 50 g (1¾ oz) walnuts; Handful of mint leaves (10 g/⅓ oz)

Preparation info

Serves
8
(around 375 g )

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Frozen Peas Cookbook

By Samuel Goldsmith

Published 2025

About

Using walnuts makes pesto feel grown up. It also reminds me of holidaying with friends in northern Italy where walnut sauce is a delicacy. The peas ensure a vibrant green pesto so the brown of the walnuts doesn’t dull things.

Ingredients

150 g (5½ oz) frozen peas
50 g (1¾

Europe
Italy
Sauce
Gluten-free
Vegetarian

Method

Place the frozen peas in a heatproof bowl and cover with freshly boiled water to defrost. Leave for a few minutes, then drain well. (Alternatively, microwave the peas for 2 minutes.)

Put the peas and all the remaining ingredients (except the oil) into a food processor, season with salt and pepper, and pulse until everything is finely chopped.

Drizzle in the oil while blending to