Pesto Sauce, Winter Style

When fresh basil is nowhere to be found in the dead of winter, this pesto swaps in a full bunch of fresh parsley as the green base and uses dried basil for the herby flavor. It’s a practical solution that still delivers a rich, garlicky sauce worthy of tossing through two pounds of pasta.

Five cloves of garlic is generous, and you’ll taste every one of them. Blended raw into 1 ½ cups of olive oil with pine nuts and grated Parmesan, the garlic comes through bold and sharp. If that sounds like a lot, it is, but pesto is meant to be punchy. A little goes a long way on the plate.

The order matters when blending. Garlic and parsley go in first, then the oil, dried basil, pine nuts, cheese, and salt. This layering lets the blender pull the garlic and parsley down into the blades first, creating a smooth base that the other ingredients blend into evenly.

This freezes beautifully. Pour it into ice cube trays, freeze solid, then pop the cubes into a freezer bag. Drop one into soup, spread one on toasted French bread, or thaw a few and toss with hot pasta any time you want pesto in January.

Pro Tips

• Use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, not curly. Flat-leaf has a brighter, more peppery flavor and blends smoother.
• Grate the Parmesan fresh. Pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that give the pesto a grainy texture.
• Have extra grated Parmesan at the table. The recipe notes say to sprinkle more over the dressed pasta just before serving, and it makes a real difference.
• Blend on high until fully smooth. Any remaining leaf pieces will catch on your teeth.

Variations

• Walnut version: Swap pine nuts for walnuts to cut costs without sacrificing richness. Walnuts have a slightly more bitter edge that pairs well with the parsley.
• Arugula blend: Replace half the parsley with fresh arugula for a peppery, more assertive winter pesto.