Quick Walnut Sage Pesto

This easy and quick Walnut Sage Pesto is a delicious condiment that works as a pasta sauce, bread spread, or extra flavoring for soups, casseroles and salad dressings. It’s earthy, nutty, garlicky, and full of rich sage flavor. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it’s a great way to use up lots of fresh sage.

One of my biggest prides and joys in the garden is our sage bush. I planted the tiniest piece of cutting 3 or 4 years ago, and it turned into the largest sage bush ever. It’s lush, happy, and smells absolutely amazing. The only problem is, that now I have more sage than I could ever use up. I give away buckets full of fresh sage to everybody I know, dry a lot for seasoning, tea and even deco, make sage oil, and of course, I make lots of pesto.

So yeah, it’s not aactually a real problem, but more like the reason why my fridge and freezer is full of sage pesto…

Sage pesto is one of those things that you’ll either love or hate. If you are a fan of the earthy and woodsy taste of sage, you’ll love it. But if you find sage too overpowering and almost medicinal, then this recipe is really not for you today.

I personally adore the taste and smell of sage, so this Walnut Sage Pesto is a regular in our house, especially in fall and winter. It’s really good with pasta, especially together with roasted pumpkins and vegan feta. I use it in all kind of sandwiches as a spread, I top my salads and soups with it, and I also add it to casseroles, lasagne, and veggie bakes. It’s also delicious mixed with soy yogurt or sour cream for baked potatoes, and I mix it into my tofu scramble as well.

Walnut Sage Pesto will keep in the fridge for a week, and you can also freeze it to last for months. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays, so then I can pop out a cube anytime I need extra flavor for my soups, sauces or casseroles.

Walnut Sage Pesto is…

• vegan and completely plant-based
• quick and easy to make
• made with simple ingredients
• earthy and nutty
• full of fresh sage flavor
• garlicky and savory
• perfect for pasta and sandwiches
• great for using up fresh sage
• easy to freeze for later
• customizable

How to make Walnut Sage Pesto

Start by toasting walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, shaking occasionally, until fragrant. Let them cool slightly before blending. Toasting is optional, but it gives the pesto a deeper, nuttier flavor.

Add toasted walnuts, fresh sage leaves, garlic, and nutritional yeast to a food processor or blender. Pulse until everything is finely chopped.

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture reaches your preferred consistency. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides. If you prefer a chunkier pesto, pulse everything together instead of blending it into a completely smooth paste.

Add some lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Give everything one last mix, and adjust the seasoning or consistency if needed. You can add a little more olive oil for a looser pesto or extra walnuts for a thicker one.

Transfer the pesto to a clean jar or airtight container. Store it in the fridge and use it within about a week, or freeze it in small portions for later.

How to serve Walnut Sage Pesto

You can serve this pesto just like you’d do with any other pesto. Mixed with pasta for a quick dinner, used as a bread spread, or added to sauces and soups as extra flavor. You can also stir it into casseroles or veggie bakes for an instant boost of earthy, savory flavor.

Walnut Sage Pesto goes especially well with veggies like pumpkin, beetroot, parsnips, and carrots. Mushrooms are also a great match. Try tossing it with roasted veggies, mixing it into a creamy sauce, or serving it with roasted potatoes. You can also mix it with unsweetened soy yogurt or vegan sour cream to make a flavorful dip or sauce.

For a quick meal (and my personal favorite way to eat this), toss the pesto with warm spaghetti and a splash of pasta water, then add roasted pumpkin and vegan feta.

Customize it the way you like it!

• You can play around with the ratios of this pesto, depending on what you like. Use more walnuts, less oil, or add extra garlic

• If you like sage, but can’t handle too much of its taste, simply swap half of the sage to a milder herb like basil or parsley

• Instead of walnuts you can also use cashews, pine nuts, sunflower seeds or almonds here

More delicious spreads and dips to try:

• Roasted Carrot Dip
• Vegan Stinging Nettle Pesto
• White Bean & Almond Dip
• Skordalia – Greek Garlic and Potato Dip
• Loaded Olive Oil Dip
• Mushroom and Walnut Pâté
• Vegan Spinach Yogurt Dip (Dairy-Free Ispanak Borani)
• Easy Vegan Zucchini Pesto

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