Cottage Cheese Pesto
A smooth, creamy pesto made with full-fat cottage cheese, fragrant basil, toasted walnuts, garlic, Parmesan, and olive or avocado oil. This versatile sauce works well with pasta, meats, salads, and other savory dishes.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese preferred for the creamiest texture
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup walnuts preferably toasted for a richer flavor
- ¼ –½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ½ –1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves stems removed
- ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese preferably freshly grated
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Measure and prepare the cottage cheese, basil leaves, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper. Set up a blender or food processor.
- Place the cottage cheese in the blender or food processor. Add the fresh basil, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and garlic cloves.
- Pour in ¼ cup of olive oil or avocado oil to begin, then season the mixture with salt and freshly ground pepper according to taste.
- Blend until the ingredients form a uniformly smooth and creamy pesto. If the consistency remains thicker than desired, gradually blend in additional oil, using up to ½ cup total.
- Transfer the finished pesto to a clean jar or other tightly sealed container. Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
The quantity of basil may be adjusted between ½ and 1 cup depending on the preferred intensity of basil flavor. Toasted walnuts provide a deeper, nuttier taste, while freshly grated Parmesan offers the best texture and flavor. The pesto may be served with pasta, used as a meat marinade, or thinned as needed for a salad dressing.