25 Types Of Pesto To Try Before You Die
For many Italians, Genovese pesto is the one and only recipe that is worthy of the name. There are, however, hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of pesto available in all tastes, colours, and varieties.
The argument for there only being one true pesto
Just like Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi, people tend to pick their side and stick to it. For Roberto Panizza, President of the Pesto World Championship, there will only ever be one pesto recipe, the one we all know as Pesto Genovese. Others argue that the number of different pestos is limited only by one's imagination.
The argument for embracing different types of pesto
We believe it's perfectly acceptable to take the classic recipe as inspiration rather than the rule and experiment with making all types of pesto. After all, what passionate cook isn’t interested in playing with ingredients to produce new dishes that introduce diners to intriguing twists? And anyway, pesto is essentially a modern version of the Roman sauce, moretum, so what's the difference?
As it happens, there have been plenty of Italians who have tweaked the classic recipe to include their preferred ingredients. While it’s impossible to provide a truly exhaustive list, here are some notable examples of pesto sauces that warrant a closer look.
#1: Pesto alla Genovese
This is the original basil pesto that we all know and love. It's a sauce that the inhabitants of Genoa hold dear to their hearts, and you'll struggle to find any alternative versions on the city's trattoria menus.
#2: Pesto Rosso
Red pesto gets its name from the generous addition of sun-dried tomatoes, although it sometimes gets its colour from roasted bell peppers, which add a pleasing smokiness.
#3: Pesto alla Trapanese
This type of pesto hails from Sicily, where they adapted the classic recipe to include their revered tomatoes and almonds.
#4: Pesto Calabrese
Hailing from Calabria in southwest Italy, this pesto features chilli flakes and ricotta in place of the more traditional Parmesan and Pecorino.
#5: Linosa Pesto
The inhabitants of the tiny Italian island, Linosa, prefer a cheese-free sauce and include lots of tomatoes to produce a sauce that is exceptionally summery and refreshing.
#6: Citrus Pesto
Known as pesto agli agrumi in Sicily, citrus pesto features lashings of orange and lemon juice for an unmistakable citrus hit.
#7: Poor Man’s Pesto
Pesto povero is a style of pesto that doesn't contain any expensive cheese but is bulked out with plenty of affordable and plentiful fresh herbs.
#8: Pesto Cetarese
This exceptionally rich sauce hails from the Amalfi Coast and features anchovies, capers, and Colatura di Alici, which is Italy's answer to Asian fish sauce.
#9: Pesto Pantesco
On the volcanic, windswept island of Pantelleria, cooks add capers, tomatoes, and almonds to their local pesto.
#10: Pesto Modenese
This is arguably the most interesting pesto of all, as it’s nothing like the classic Genovese sauce. Made from just three ingredients: lardo (pork back fat), rosemary, and garlic, it's about as decadent as a condiment can get.
#11: Pistou
Further afield, the French tweaked the classic recipe by removing the pine nuts and cheese and ramping up the garlic.
#12: Shiso Pesto
This "Japanese pesto" features their favourite herb, shiso, and is a great example of how other foodie nations have appropriated the basic recipe to use ingredients that are more common to their cuisine.
#13: Breadcrumb Pesto
This recipe was devised by the Michelin-starred chef, Massimo Bottura. His pesto ditches the expensive pine nuts in favour of stale bread.
#14: Tuscan Kale Pesto
The Tuscans love their kale, so it's no surprise that it is the star ingredient in their preferred kind of pesto.
#15: White Pesto
This highly unusual sauce replaces the traditional basil with double cream. The result is a pesto that has an incredibly decadent and luxurious flavour.
#16: Wild Garlic Pesto
Making this quintessentially English type of pesto is an annual event for many foodies. The leaves of the wild garlic plant are usually at their very best in March, although some people pick a year's supply and freeze the leaves so they can enjoy this pesto all year round.
#17: Pesto Portofino
Legend has it that this peculiar sauce was invented out of necessity when a chef began to run out of pesto during a busy dinner service and decided to bulk out his dwindling supply with some tomato sauce.
#18: Moringa Pesto
Many people believe that the leaves of the moringa plant are one of the world's greatest superfoods, so it's no great surprise that they have been incorporated into a type of pesto that we can only describe as having an acquired taste.
#19: Peruvian Pesto
This type of pesto is so bizarre that when we first heard about it, we thought it was an April Fool's joke. As it turns out, it is a genuine sauce, although we have no intention of adding condensed milk to our pesto any time soon.
#20: Chocolate Pesto
Mexican chefs have been adding dark chocolate to some of their favourite savoury dishes for centuries, so it makes total sense that sooner or later some cooks started adding a little to their pesto to create an intriguing depth of flavour that is hard to put your finger on.
#21: Amalfi Pesto
If there is one ingredient that is the undisputed star of Amalfi cuisine, it's sfusato amalfitano. This oversized, elongated lemon can be found growing in abundance all along the Amalfi Coast, so naturally, it has made its way into an inimitable style of pesto that can be found on restaurant menus throughout the region.
#22: Aeolian Caper Pesto
The volcanic soil and temperate climate of the Aeolian Islands create the perfect conditions for the growth of capers. Some say they are the finest in the world, so who wouldn't think to add them to a very local style of pesto?
#23: Carrot Top Pesto
We always cringe when we see people discarding the leafy tops of carrots because they make such a great addition to salads, garnishes, and vinaigrettes. As it turns out, switching a little bit of basil for carrot tops when making pesto Genovese adds a slight bitterness, which brings an intriguing twist to a much-loved classic.
#24: Pistachio Pesto
The eye-watering price tag of pistachios means it's quite rare to find them used to make pesto. That's a real shame, because if you can get your hands on Bronte pistachios, which many people believe to be the best in the world, you will be rewarded with the sweetest, creamiest pesto you will ever have tasted.
#25: Purple Basil Pesto
Traditionalists argue that only basil grown in the northern Italian region of Liguria can be used to make authentic pesto, but a variety of basil with deep purple leaves and an even deeper perfumed aroma undoubtedly makes for a striking looking sauce.
Further afield, who can’t see how much chimichurri, romesco, salsa verde, zhug, chermoula, and dozens of other sauces bear striking similarities to pesto?
The rise of some seriously unusual pestos
UK supermarkets now stock many different types of pesto featuring all manner of intriguing ingredients. The line-up includes everything from 'nduja to coriander to black olives, all of which are sold under the umbrella term "pesto."
That’s only the beginning, though. Hang out in as many farm shops as we do, and you'll find different types of pestos featuring onion, rocket, chilli, squash, aubergine, beetroot, and much more. There's even one that must get the proud citizens of Genoa crying into their pasta: vegan curried cauliflower pesto!