Parsley Pumpkin Seed Pesto with Crackers
4.6(460 ratings)Pumpkin seeds make this pesto safe for nut-free households and give it an earthy, slightly grassy depth that suits flat-leaf parsley perfectly. It is thicker than a pasta pesto, closer to a spread, so it holds up well on a cracker. Pound it in a stone mortar or pulse it quickly, then serve with sunflower and flax crackers dried at 115F.
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Method
-
Step 1: Grind the garlic and salt in a stone mortar, then add the pumpkin seeds and pound until they break into a coarse meal.
-
Step 2: Add the parsley and basil in batches, working each handful into the seeds until the mixture turns deep green.
-
Step 3: Stir in lemon juice and olive oil with the pestle until the pesto is thick and spreadable, adding a little water if too stiff.
-
Step 4: Leave the pesto in the mortar, set it on a board and lean the seed crackers around it for serving.
Same technique, different aisle
More from Dips, Pates & Pestos
Keep cooking without the stove
Chunky Guacamole with Flax-Corn Chips
Rough-mashed guacamole studded with cherry tomatoes and sweet pepper, crowned with crisp dehydrated flax and corn chips for scooping.
Dark Salsa Roja with Habaneros
Rehydrated guajillo chiles, sun-dried tomato and a whole habanero blend into a deep brick-red salsa with a slow, smoky burn.
Jalapeno Pico de Gallo
Crisp diced tomato, white onion and a generous amount of fresh jalapeno and cilantro, tossed with lime for a pico de gallo with real kick.
Mortar-Pounded Basil Pine Nut Pesto
Basil, pine nuts and garlic pounded by hand in small wooden mortars for a bright, coarse pesto with a texture no blender can match.