Name: Garlicky Pea Shoot Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 – 3 Cups Pea Shoots; 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved; 5 Cloves of garlic; 1/4 Cup Walnuts; 1/4 Tsp. Kosher salt plus more to taste; 1/3 Cup Olive oil plus up to; 1/3 Cup More when processing

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What do you do when you have an excess amount of pea shoots growing in your backyard or on your kitchen counter? You make pesto. This garlicky pea shoot pesto came out delish! I’ve been using it on pasta and sandwiches all week.

I was recently gifted a Hamama microgreen starter kit with a ton of seed quilts to grow my own microgreens at home. I’m loving it and it has become a great way to get microgreens into my diet (they are packed with nutrients) and it’s fun! I’m sure I’ll have more on that soon but for now, I had planted pea shoots that literally grew so fast and so big that I had a ton of extra shoots and decided to try them in making a pesto. This is the result. Note: you can buy pea shoots at most supermarkets and definitely at Whole Foods and Sprouts.

I used my basic formula for making pesto and substituted the pea shoots for my typical herbs. (I like to make a Pistachio Basil Pesto in the summer.) The result is an earthy tasting pesto that worked great on pasta. Considering making this pesto takes just 5 minutes, I think everyone needs it in their arsenal for quick, tasty meals.

To make this, you are simply going to add the pea shoots to the food processor, along with, the cheese, garlic, walnuts, salt and 1/3 cup of olive oil. Let it blend a good two minutes to get it really smooth.

Then, with the motor on, drizzle in more olive oil until you get the consistency you want. I knew I was going to use this on pasta and as a spread on sandwiches so I made it loose (pourable) but stick thick enough to spread. I recommend tasting the pesto and adding more salt if needed.

This will keep in a covered jar in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Give it a try. If you are looking for other easy and delicious sauces for pasta, check out these:

Tomato Butter Sauce

Salsa di Parmigiano

Fresh Tomato Sauce with Basil

Roasted Tomatoes in Olive Oil

Marinara Sauce

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CHAT GPT CLAUDE GEMINI PERPLEXITY GROK

Garlicky Pea Shoot Pesto

Make an earthy and garlicky pesto using pea shoots for a healthy and delicious dose of nutrients.

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Course Sauces

Cuisine General

Servings Cup

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

▢ 2 1/2 – 3 Cups Pea Shoots⁠
▢ 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved⁠
▢ 5 Cloves of garlic⁠
▢ 1/4 Cup Walnuts⁠
▢ 1/4 Tsp. Kosher salt plus more to taste⁠
▢ 1/3 Cup Olive oil plus up to
▢ 1/3 Cup More when processing⁠ ⁠

Instructions

Add the pea shoots, cheese, garlic, walnuts, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/3 cup of olive oil to a food processor. Blend until really smooth. About 2 minutes.⁠
With the motor on, continue drizzling olive oil into the mix until you have the consistency you want. You want it thick but pourable. Add a couple of tablespoons at a time.⁠
Taste and add more salt if necessary.⁠ Bottle and keep in the fridge until you are ready to use. Enjoy!⁠

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Diane Ringler

Recipe Developer

With over 10 years of restaurant experience, Diane has been cooking and developing recipes for over five years, focusing on real-food meals for two that are Weight Watchers-friendly and high in protein. A longtime WW member herself, she brings firsthand experience to every recipe — not just culinary technique, but the practical knowledge of someone who has navigated points, portions, and satisfaction for years. Her recipe for Lollipop Lamb Chops with Pistachio Pesto was selected as a KitchenAid contest winner and published in Taste of Home's "Innovate Your Plate" bookazine. She has developed recipes and created content for brands including Eggland's Best, Sprouts Market, ZenB Pasta, Flannery Beef, The Honey Jar and Marukan Vinegar. She has been cooking for two for 10 years and her recipes focus on well balanced meals that are healthy, protein-focused meals perfectly proportioned for two servings. Based in Southern California she loves fresh, seasonal produce and proteins that nourish the body and soul.