Basil Pesto with Charred Spring onion

Basil Pesto is one of those sauces we all know and love. It’s great for everything. Pasta of course, but toast, salads, roasted veg, and the list goes on. We’re giving it an edgier twist by adding charred spring onion to the mix. It’s a fun way to use the onion. Charring vegetables aren’t common in everyday cooking, but it’s a great technique. It pairs well with the fresh and mildly earthy basil.

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Recipe

Ingredients

spring onion 1 (139g)

Basil leaves 3C(22g)

garlic 2 medium-sized cloves (11g)

Sunflower seeds 3 Tbsp. (32g)

Olive Oil 3/4 & 1 tbsp (178g)

Salt 1/4 tsp (2g)

Lemon juice ‘1 1/2 tsp (8g)

Pepper 1/4 tsp (1g)

Nutritional Yeast 1 tbsp. (3g)

Procedure

Set a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat ( cast iron works best )

Slice the spring onion in half to separate the white from the green. slice the bulb section in half opening up the middle of the onion. Sear the spring onion for about 5 minutes on each side until charred. remove from heat and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Place the charred onion, garlic, and sunflower seeds in a food processor. Pulse until roughly chunky. Add the basil and pulse another 2 to 3 times.

Add the oil, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Pulse until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Add the oil, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Pulse until all ingredients are evenly combined.

Transfer to a serving bowl or container and enjoy.

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Charred spring onion

Getting a hard char on veggies isn’t something I’ve noticed a lot in home kitchens. It might get the fire alarm going, but it’s a great technique. Dry heat brings a deep earthy flavor to the spring onion. We’re going just for a dry char as opposed to using oil. That would be closer to sautéing. Pesto already has so much oil that another oily component has a weird mouth feel. Cast iron is perfect for charring, but stainless steel pans work too. If you have a grill going that’s even better. Bring in all the smoky flavors.

Easy Basil Pesto

Besides Charing the Spring Onions the recipe here is pretty straightforward. A few minutes and the pesto is done. Traditionally pesto is made with a pestle and mortar. It’s an old-school rustic vibe. Pounding everything together slowly builds the loose sauce. You can do that, but a food processor is much easier and quicker unless you want the extra workout. Respecting the Old practices and techniques are always humbling though.

awesome summer sauce

Basil Pesto has all the greens you want out of the summertime. This one brings in a bit more earthy tones with charred spring onions. Great for pasta as usual but there are a bunch of options for the season. One of my favorites is a simple pesto toast. Quick, Easy, and Flavorful. Chili flakes, seeds, fresh basil leaves, flaky salt, and pepper. You can even use it for salads, and roasted veggies. It also works great to season the roasted cauliflower recipe here on the blog. Bring a jar of this stuff to your next barbeque or pick-nick.

Basil Pesto Toast

Bellow is a recipe for my go-to basil toast. It’s an easy template. Nothing too crazy for the toast. Nice bread and some good pesto. Sunflower seeds, a few other bits, and you have a party. Defiantly have some fun with this toast. Hazelnuts, hemp seeds, or walnuts are all great on top. If you have it, balsamic glaze is great too. This is just my quick and easy go-to for a tasty pesto snaky snack. Everyone’s going to have a different cabinet of odds and ends. Have fun and make something wild, or keep it simple with my recipe here.

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This basil pesto is a great way to use spring onions. It’s a versatile recipe perfect for the summer days. Pretty straightforward but still has an edgy side with the charred spring onions. If you want to forgo the whole onion part just replace it with basil. Next time you’re at the market pick up a few bunches of basil for pesto. Don’t forget the giant bulbous-looking onions too.