Pesto's so over, right? Who really wants another serving of spaghetti doused in herby, garlicky, cheesy...wait. Is it too late to ask pesto to come back?
But let's maybe leave out the basil. Yes, you read that right: Pesto can be made with any combination of herbs, cheese, and nuts. Basil, while common, is not required. And in fact, the earliest version of pesto, made in ancient Rome, didn't include basil at all. So whatdidthose Romans put in their pesto? Maybe something like one of the sauces below.
Tame the delicious bitterness of broccoli rabe by blending it into a spicy, cheese-laden pesto, then slathering it on salami panini.
Consider this recipe your open invitation to develop your own pesto. This one uses basil and parsley, but you can use any combination of soft herbs, then blend in whatever kind of nut you have on hand.
Who says pesto has to be green at all? This lemon-chile version packs a bright, citrusy punch, thanks to lemon zest and juice, along with tons of sunny melted butter and grated hard-boiled egg yolks.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated as a part of our archive repair project.
