The Only Pesto Rule You Need To Follow For Perfect Results

If you want to try making pesto at home, but find yourself a bit intimidated, there's no need to fret. According to an expert, there's really just one simple rule that you need to follow to get incredible results. The expert is Makenna Held, who spoke to Daily Meal about all things pesto. Held is the CEO of RecipeKick, The Courageous Cooking School, and Steward of La Peetch.

While some recipes try to add in ingredients, such as mayo or heavy cream, to make pesto a bit thicker and creamier, Held suggests keeping it simple. She says, "Stick to the following rule of thumb: Greens, plus roasted nut, plus garlic of choice, plus acid of choice, plus a hard cheese is the best kind of pesto."

For many recipes, this rule of thumb translates to basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and parmesan — but there is plenty of room for customization. For example, even though basil is easily the most common green for pesto, you can actually swap it out for a number of different greens — try parsley, arugula, or spinach. As for the nut, you can choose to make an almond pesto or a walnut pesto. You can even make a nut-free pesto to accommodate anyone with a nut allergy — try a sunflower seed pesto or a pumpkin seed pesto. While parmesan is delicious, it can be replaced with any hard cheese, such as Pecorino Romano or manchego. You can even swap out the lemon juice for lime.

Just like pesto can be quite versatile with its ingredients — as long as you stick to the general rule of thumb that Makenna Held explained — it can also be used for more dishes than you might think. In fact, Held encourages getting creative with how you use pesto. She says, "Pesto shouldn't be just relegated to the world of pasta. It is a great sandwich spread, makes a great dipping sauce for veggies in a crudité platter, and can be thinned out with a bit more oil and vinegar to create a beautiful salad dressing."

Next time you're making a sandwich for lunch, try swapping out your usual condiment for pesto — whether it's a turkey club or a BLT, the pesto will bring a bright and zesty nuttiness that will take the sandwich to the next level. Or make a pesto grilled cheese for a unique spin on a classic.

Let's also not forget about pizza, which is the perfect companion to pesto — like this artichoke pesto pizza on whole-wheat dough. You can also use pesto to spread on top of a simple baked salmon or grilled chicken to make the dish a bit more interesting and unique — as long as you follow Held's advice, you're guaranteed pesto-making success.