Foraged Herb Pesto with Wild Garlic, Nettles & Basil
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🌿 Introduction
Pesto is a celebration of green things—bright, fragrant, and alive with flavor. This foraged version combines wild garlic, nettles, and basil into a sauce that tastes both rustic and refined. Tossed with pasta, spread on bread, or spooned over roasted vegetables, it’s a reminder that the garden (and even the hedgerows) are full of gifts waiting to be gathered.
Making this pesto always feels like an act of creativity and gratitude, transforming wild leaves and herbs into something extraordinary.
✨ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🌱 A vibrant twist on classic pesto
- 🌿 Uses foraged or garden herbs like wild garlic and nettles
- 🍝 Versatile—perfect for pasta, bread, or roasted vegetables
- 🥄 Freezer-friendly for enjoying year-round
📋 Quick Reference Snapshot
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 minutes (blanching nettles)
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup pesto
- Skill: Easy
- Equipment: Food processor or blender, saucepan
- Dietary: Vegetarian, gluten-free
Key Ingredients at a Glance: Nettles, wild garlic, basil, nuts, olive oil
🌿 Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh nettle leaves (blanched 2 minutes to remove sting) 🌿
- 1 cup wild garlic leaves (or 2 cloves garlic if unavailable) 🧄
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves 🌱
- ½ cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts) 🌰
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 🧀
- ½ cup olive oil 🫒
- Juice of ½ lemon 🍋
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
🔄 Seasonal Swaps
- 🌱 Use spinach or arugula instead of nettles
- 🧄 Swap wild garlic for chives or green onions
- 🧀 Replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast for vegan pesto
- 🌰 Try pecans or sunflower seeds for a unique twist
🌱 From My Garden
Nettles and wild garlic often appear on the edges of the garden, growing where they please. I love gathering them alongside cultivated basil to make this pesto—it’s a blend of the wild and the tended, a reminder that God’s abundance flows from both order and surprise.
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
Blanch Nettles
- Bring a small pot of water to boil.
- Add nettle leaves and blanch 2 minutes.
- Drain and cool under cold water.
Blend the Pesto
4. In a food processor, combine nettles, wild garlic, basil, nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Pulse until finely chopped.
6. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth.
Finish
7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to jar and refrigerate.
🍽️ Serving & Pairing Suggestions
- Toss with pasta or gnocchi 🍝
- Spread on Seeded Whole Grain Bread with Flax & Sunflower
- Spoon over roasted vegetables or grilled chicken
- Swirl into Golden Garden Vegetable Broth for a burst of flavor
🥡 Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerate up to 1 week with a thin olive oil layer on top
- Freeze in ice cube trays up to 3 months
- Thaw cubes for single servings in soups or sauces
🤝 Community & Connection
- Instagram — Share your golden trays and tag me @southersoils 🌿📸
- Subscribe — Weekly recipes, seasonal tips, and free printable guides ✉️🍂
- Facebook Group — A warm community to swap ideas and share what’s growing 🌱🫶
🛒 Favorites from My Kitchen to Yours
- Food processor for blending 🌿
- Ice cube trays for freezing pesto ❄️
- Mason jars for storage 🫙
- Citrus juicer for fresh lemon 🍋
🌻 Related on Southern Soil Sunshine
- Herb-Infused Honey with Rosemary, Thyme & Lavender
- Wild Greens Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil
- Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale & Rosemary
💭 Final Thoughts
This pesto reminds me that beauty and nourishment often come from unexpected places—edges of the garden, wild patches of earth, herbs growing where they will. May this jar of green grace bring life to your table. 💛
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