Pesto Recipe

This pesto recipe is made with onion tops. Feel free to substitute the onion tops with basil, parsley, or any green you want! However, I highly encourage you to try it using onion tops. It is absolutely delicious! 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients: 

  • 3 cups roughly chopped green onions, or green onion tops. 
  • 1/2 cup roasted, lightly salted cashews. (You can substitute that with ¼ cup roasted pine nuts, or ½ cup roasted walnuts, if they are whole, or a ¼ cup if they are chopped) 
  • ½ cup (packed) shredded parmesan cheese 
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed 
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 
  • The zest of 1 lime
  • The juice of 1/2 a lime
  • ¼ teaspoon and an 1/8 teaspoon cosher salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper, or to taste. 

Utensils

Pesto Recipe Using Onion Tops Video

What Makes Pesto – Pesto

The rough translation of the word “pesto” into the English language translates into paste.

Traditionally speaking, anything that is pounded using a mortar and pestle is called pesto, which again means “paste”, or “to crush into powder, or paste”.

Pesto has been around for thousands of years. It originated in Genova during the roman period.

What Can I Use Pesto With

Pesto can be served over, or in many dishes. you can serve it over chicken, steak, fish, or eggs. Use it as a spread over bread, crackers, or as a base for pizza. You can use it in pasta, as a salad dressing, or as a marinade, and the list goes on.

An onion with its green tops cut off. The onion is growing in a raised bed.

How to Make this Pesto Recipe

Making pesto is super simple. Once you have shredded the cheese, roughly chopped the green onion tops, and roasted the nuts, you are pretty much done.

How to Cut Down on Time While Making Pesto

You can use pre-roasted nuts, pre-shredded parmesan cheese, and lime juice from a bottle.

If you are using basil, or spinach for your pesto, you don’t even need to chop them. If they are fresh from your garden, you’ll just need to wash them a bit, and remove the leaves off the stems (if using basil)

pesto ingredients in a food processor. A hand pouring olive oil over the pesto ingredients.

What to do Next In this Pesto Recipe

Place everything in the food processor and process on high until smooth and creamy.

You may notice some bits of onions, garlic, and some nuts stuck to the sides or bottom of the food processor.

To fix this issue, stop a couple of times or so and scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor, and process again until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.  

A women holding a large bowl of freshly cut onion tops in the garden.
Onion tops from our garden

What Vegetables Can I Use to Make Pesto

You can substitute the onions with any green vegetable you desire.

The most commonly used is basil. You can also mix vegetables such as basil, and spinach, parsley, or kale.

Here is a list of some vegetables that you can use to make pesto:

  • Onion tops or green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Basil
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Parsley
Jars of pesto arranged over a countertop along with jars of freeze dried onions.

What Nuts Can I Use to Make Pesto

Traditionally pine nuts are used in making pesto, but there are numerous types of nuts that you can use in making pesto.

I chose cashews because they have a wonderful nutty and creamy flavor.

Here is a list of nuts that you can use in making pesto:

  • Pine nuts
  • Cashews
  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Almonds
  • Brazilians nuts
  • Hazelnuts
  • Sesame seeds (technically a seed not a nut)
  • Sunflower seeds (also a seed not a nut)
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Peanuts
  • Pistachios

Basically almost all nuts can go into a pesto. You’ll just have to figure out which is your favorite to use in a pesto and with what vegetable it goes, and what cheese you prefer. Have Fun and Enjoy!

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This pesto recipe is made with onion tops. Feel free to substitute the onion tops with basil, parsley, or any green you want! However, I highly encourage you to try it using onion tops. It is absolutely delicious! 
Onion tops turned into onion pesto

More Gardening and Recipe Related Topics

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Measuring cups

Food processor

Mason jars

Tell Us What You Think!

Making pesto is so fun, it goes with so many dish, and it is so delicious!

Tells us what is your favorite vegetable to use in pesto? Do you grow your own vegetables? Don’t forget to check our gardening posts to learn more about growing your own food!

Let us know if you have any comments or questions down in the comment section below.

Pesto recipe - onion tops to the top left corner - pesto in a jar to the top right corner - jars of pesto arranged on a counter surface along with jars of freeze dried onions.

Pesto Recipe

Chantal
This pesto recipe is made with onion tops. Feel free to substitute the onion tops with basil, parsley, or any green you want! However, I highly encourage you to try it using onion tops. It is absolutely delicious! 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Course Salad Dressing, Sauces
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Food processor
  • Spatula
  • Mason jars or plastic storage bags to store the pesto in

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups roughly chopped green onions or green onion tops.
  • 1/2 cup roasted lightly salted cashews. (You can substitute that with ¼ cup roasted pine nuts, or ½ cup roasted walnuts, if they are whole, or a ¼ cup if they are chopped)
  • ½ cup packed shredded parmesan cheese
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • The zest of 1 lime
  • The juice of 1/2 a lime
  • ¼ teaspoon and an 1/8 teaspoon cosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper or to taste.

Instructions
 

  • Place everything in the food processor and process on high until smooth and creamy. You may need to stop a couple times and scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor, and process again until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.

Video

Notes

You can substitute the onions with any green vegetable you desire. The most commonly used is basil. You can also mix vegetables such as basil, and spinach, parsley, or kale.
Cashews have a wonderful nutty and creamy flavor. However, you are free to use pine nuts if that is what you prefer.
Keyword Gluten free summer recipes, pasta, Summer Recipes, Vegetarian

Disclosure Policy

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on a link and purchase the item, I will get an affiliate commission. It will not cost you any extra money, but it will help me pay for this website, and it will help me to keep providing you with helpful articles such as this one. I only post links to products that I personally use and love, or to products that I wish I could have, and that could be of value to you. The information that I provide you with, my blog, videos, and many resources are free.

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