Types of Pesto: From Classic Genovese to Miso and Chilli

Pesto simply means "pounded" in Italian, and the word covers far more than the bright green basil sauce. Any sauce of crushed herbs, nuts, cheese and oil can be a pesto. Here are the main types, and what to do with each.

Pesto Genovese: the classic

The original, from Genoa in Liguria. Basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino, salt and olive oil, traditionally pounded in a marble mortar. Belazu Traditional Genovese Pesto is made the traditional way, with fragrant Italian basil, aged Parmigiano Reggiano and pine kernels.

Toss it through trofie or trofiette, the short twisted pasta from Liguria, with green beans and potato. That is how it is eaten in Genoa.

Red pesto

Red pesto, or pesto rosso, swaps much of the basil for sun-dried tomatoes. It is sweeter and richer, and very good with chicken. Belazu Chilli Harissa Pesto is a Mediterranean tomato pesto enriched with harissa for gentle spice, and Ottolenghi Calabrian Chilli and Tomato Pesto is another tomato pesto with chilli.

Truffle and artichoke pesto

Belazu Truffle and Artichoke Pesto blends black truffles from Piedmont, artichokes from Puglia and aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir it into hot pasta or risotto off the heat. More in our truffle products guide.

Miso pesto

Ottolenghi Miso Pesto keeps the bright, nutty flavours of the classic and adds an umami hit from miso and sweet caramelised onion. We have 10 creative ways to use Ottolenghi miso pesto, and a miso pesto trofie with spinach and pine nuts.

Green harissa

Not called a pesto, but used like one. Ottolenghi Green Harissa is a green, herby paste that works anywhere you would put basil pesto.

Ten things to do with a jar of pesto

1. Toss through hot pasta with a splash of pasta water.
2. Spread inside a cheese toastie.
3. Swirl through scrambled eggs or an omelette.
4. Stir into mayonnaise for a sandwich or burger.
5. Spoon over roast potatoes in the last five minutes.
6. Thin with lemon juice and oil for a salad dressing.
7. Spread on puff pastry, roll, slice and bake as pinwheels.
8. Spoon over grilled fish or chicken.
9. Swirl through soup at the table.
10. Mix with labneh or yoghurt for a dip.

How to keep pesto fresh

Once opened, keep the jar in the fridge and smooth a thin layer of olive oil over the top each time. The oil stops the surface darkening. Check the label for how long it keeps once open.

Pesto as a gift

The Belazu Pesto Duo and Grater Gift Box pairs two pestos with a wooden-handled fine grater, which makes a good gift for anyone who cooks. Add a bag of good pasta and a bottle of olive oil to make it a proper pasta night. Our extra virgin olive oil guide explains which to choose.

For a crunchy shortcut, Hunter's Pesto Parmesan chips put the flavour in a snack.

Browse all our sauces and mixes, and the full Belazu and Ottolenghi ranges.