Rocket & Walnut Pesto
Rocket and walnut pesto is what happens when I’m sick, signed off work, cleaning out the freezer in a slightly feverish frenzy, and suddenly decide I need pesto-crusted salmon. Peppery rocket, walnuts and Pecorino are blitzed together into a quick homemade pesto that’s perfect for using up those slightly annoying handfuls of rocket left lurking in the fridge.
Rocket & Walnut Pesto
My rocket and walnut pesto is fresh, peppery and full of flavour, with Pecorino, lemon zest and olive oil balancing the richness of the walnuts beautifully. I love this easy homemade pesto when I’ve got leftover rocket in the fridge, because it comes together in minutes and works with so many meals. Toss it through pasta, spoon it over salmon, spread it onto toast or use it anywhere you’d normally reach for basil pesto. It’s quick, practical and far too good to waste on just one dish.
Ingredients
- 60g rocket
- 30g walnuts
- 30g Pecorino, or other hard Italian cheese
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Add the rocket, walnuts, Pecorino, extra virgin olive oil and lemon zest to a small food processor or blender.
- Blitz until well combined and mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed.
- Taste and season with sea salt flakes as required.
- Serve immediately, or transfer to a clean jar and refrigerate until needed.
Notes
- 60g might not sound like much rocket, but rocket is incredibly light, so this is actually a fairly substantial amount. You’ll need roughly a standard supermarket bag.
- You may need to stop the food processor once or twice and scrape down the sides, particularly at the beginning when the rocket is still quite bulky.
- This is a fairly thick pesto as written. If you want it looser for stirring through pasta, add extra olive oil a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want.
- Don’t worry if the pesto doesn’t become completely silky smooth. A little texture from the walnuts works well here.
- Taste before adding any salt. Pecorino is naturally salty, and depending on the cheese you use, you may find it doesn’t need much extra seasoning at all.
- If your food processor is quite large, you may struggle to blitz such a small quantity evenly. A mini food processor or narrow blender works best.
- The pesto will darken slightly as it sits. Pressing a piece of baking paper directly against the surface or covering it with a thin layer of olive oil can help slow this down.
- Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- The pesto can be frozen in small portions for up to 2 months.
What I Cook With
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 82Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 43mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
Serve this with
- Toss through my Simple Pesto Pasta for an easy dinner that lets the peppery rocket, walnuts and Pecorino really shine. Add a little pasta water to loosen the pesto into a glossy sauce.
- Spoon over my Pesto Baked Salmon before cooking for a fresh, nutty crust. The rocket brings a little bite, while the walnuts and Pecorino add richness that works beautifully with salmon.
- Spread onto bruschetta with ricotta or goat’s cheese for an easy appetiser. The creamy cheese softens the peppery pesto, while the toasted bread gives you plenty of crunch.
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Too Much Rocket and a Freezer Full of Ideas
So, what do you do when you’re sick, on antibiotics, have unexpected time off work, and discover you’ve got far too much rocket left over from your Creamy Paprika Chicken? Why, you make rocket pesto, obviously. I also happened to have an unopened bag of walnuts in the pantry from a recipe that never eventuated, and I always have some form of hard Italian cheese in the fridge. Today that happened to be Pecorino, so really the pesto was practically making itself.
The idea properly came together when I decided, in my infinite wisdom, to clean out the freezer while feeling distinctly unwell. Somewhere among the gluten free bread and various containers of forgotten leftovers, I found some salmon fillets. Immediately I started thinking about pesto-crusted salmon, which sounded fresh, easy, and exactly like the sort of thing I wanted to eat while recovering. There was only one problem. I didn’t actually have any pesto. I did, however, have rocket, walnuts, Pecorino, and enough determination to make this considerably more complicated than simply resting.
And so here we are. Rocket makes a much more peppery pesto than basil or baby spinach, which I actually quite like when it’s being paired with something rich like salmon. The walnuts soften that sharpness a little, while Pecorino brings plenty of saltiness and savoury flavour. I’m not going to pretend this has dethroned my baby spinach pesto, because that remains genuinely the best pesto I’ve ever made. But if you’ve got half a bag of rocket threatening to become fridge compost, this is a very good way to rescue it. Sometimes the best recipes begin with nothing more glamorous than refusing to waste what you already have.
Apparently It Wasn’t Just a Cold
Yesterday I finally went to the doctor because what I’d been calling a cold had been hanging around for two weeks and, rather inconveniently, I wasn’t getting any better. It turns out it had developed into a sinus infection, so I’ve now been put on antibiotics. This is mildly noteworthy because it’s my first course of antibiotics in more than a decade, and apparently also the first time I’ve actually been to see a doctor in roughly six years. Clearly I like to save these things up.
The antibiotics are knocking me around a little, which probably explains why I suddenly found myself cleaning out the freezer with the sort of energy that can only be described as feverish enthusiasm. Still, if there’s one positive to being forced to slow down, it’s that I’ve been thinking much more carefully about what I actually want to eat. When I’m feeling rubbish, I either want something incredibly plain or something fresh and homemade that makes me feel as though I’m vaguely helping myself recover. Today, pesto and salmon won.
I’ve also been signed off work for three days, and because I already had two days of annual leave booked before the long weekend, I’ve accidentally ended up with quite a stretch of time at home. Obviously the sensible thing would be to rest. Naturally, my brain has translated this into an opportunity to cook delicious things while telling myself I’m taking it easy. I am trying to behave, though. A quick pesto blitzed together in a food processor absolutely counts as low effort, and once it’s made, I’ve got something sitting in the fridge ready for salmon, pasta, vegetables, or whatever else takes my fancy. Homemade food with very little actual work is probably exactly where my ambitions need to sit this week.
Pesto, Recovery and a Missing Best Friend
You already know I’ll nearly always make pesto rather than buy it. It’s one of those things that takes such little time to put together, especially when I already have most of the ingredients in the kitchen, and I like being able to adjust everything to suit what I’m making. More cheese, more lemon, a little extra olive oil, whatever it needs. And this one has the added satisfaction of turning leftover rocket and abandoned walnuts into something I’ll actually use.
I honestly have no idea what the rest of this week is going to look like while I recover. I have plenty of food ideas, but I’m attempting to remember that being signed off work with a sinus infection is perhaps not an invitation to launch myself into an elaborate five-day recipe development marathon. I’ve already learned that lesson during previous time off. So I’m aiming for good food, plenty of rest, and perhaps the occasional recipe if my body decides it’s willing to cooperate.
The real inconvenience is that my best friend is completely out of range for most of the week because he’s off camping in the Flinders Ranges. He lives in Adelaide, so we’re already interstate from each other, but we talk every day and he’s very much my favourite person. Naturally, the one week I’m sick, home from work, and have far too much time to chat is the week he disappears into the wilderness. Rude, frankly. I’ll miss him terribly while he’s gone, but I suppose he gets spectacular scenery, camping beneath the stars, and the Flinders Ranges. Meanwhile, I’m at home with antibiotics, Lulu, and homemade rocket pesto destined for a beautiful piece of salmon. So really, I think we all know who the winner is here.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn’t this pesto contain garlic?
Rocket already has a naturally peppery bite, so garlic isn’t necessary to give the pesto character. Leaving it out also allows the walnut, Pecorino and lemon flavours to come through more clearly. If you particularly love garlic in pesto, you can add a small clove, but it will make the finished flavour noticeably sharper.
Can I use Parmesan instead of Pecorino?
Absolutely. Parmesan will give you a slightly milder, nuttier pesto, while Pecorino has a sharper, saltier flavour. Other firm Italian cheeses can also work, but taste before adding any extra salt because their saltiness varies considerably.
Why has my rocket pesto turned bitter?
Rocket naturally has some bitterness, particularly more mature leaves, but excessive blending can make it more noticeable. Use fresh rocket and blitz only until the ingredients are combined rather than running the processor continuously for a long time. A little extra Pecorino or olive oil can help soften the flavour if your rocket is particularly peppery.
Ingredient breakdown
Rocket
Rocket replaces the basil traditionally used in pesto and gives this version its distinctive peppery, slightly bitter flavour. Its stronger character works particularly well with rich walnuts and salty Pecorino, creating a pesto that feels fresh without needing lots of additional ingredients.
Walnuts
Walnuts provide the nutty richness and body that would traditionally come from pine nuts. Their slightly earthy flavour is a natural match for rocket, and their softer texture means they blend readily without needing to be toasted first.
Pecorino
Pecorino adds saltiness, savoury depth and a sharp, distinctive flavour that stands up particularly well to the peppery rocket. Parmesan or another hard Italian cheese can be substituted for a slightly milder result. Because Pecorino can be quite salty, wait until the pesto has been blended before deciding whether it needs additional seasoning.
Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil binds the ingredients together and gives the pesto its smooth, spoonable consistency. Because it isn’t cooked, its flavour remains prominent, so use an olive oil you enjoy eating raw. Add a little more if you prefer a looser pesto for tossing through pasta or drizzling over vegetables.
Lemon zest
Lemon zest brings freshness and a light citrus aroma that lifts the richness of the walnuts, cheese and olive oil. Using zest rather than juice gives you that brightness without adding acidity or extra liquid that could thin the pesto.
Sea salt flakes
Sea salt flakes are used only to adjust the final seasoning. Pecorino already contributes plenty of salt, so blend everything first, taste, and add only as much as the pesto actually needs.
