How Do I Fix Bitter Pesto?

Short answer
If you're unfortunate enough to be the owner of some bitter pesto, sugar or honey might be the first thing you reach for. They both work well at masking bitterness in foods, but several other ingredients also help, including acid, salt, and fat.

Long answer
We've written extensively about why your pesto may taste bitter, but here, we're more concerned with fixing the problem once it has been identified. There's no way to get rid of bitterness from food; it's more a case of counterbalancing the bitter notes with other sweet flavours. Here are some of the most beneficial ingredients you can use:

Sugar
Adding a little sugar is the most obvious way to dampen pesto's bitterness. Anything sugary will work: granulated white sugar, honey, fruit juices, and even sweet dessert wines.

Acid
Acid, such as vinegar or citrus juice, can make pesto taste less bitter and enhance the sauce's flavour.

Salt
Salt can suppress bitterness in low concentrations, which is why people have been adding tiny amounts to coffee for decades. Always go easy to start with. You can always add more salt later, but never take it away.

Fat
Fat is surprisingly good at masking bitterness, which is why people in some parts of the world add cream to coffee. Because pesto is already quite fattening, we're not overly enthusiastic about adding more fat.