Pesto with Craisins

Better plant some basil this spring because you're going to be eating Pesto with Craisins by the bucket load.

Scooping pesto out of a mason jar with a spoon.

Mediterranean Pesto with Craisins

Confession: I hadn't heard of pesto 15 years ago.

Until a beautiful Greek lady was making it and selling it at the local farmers' market.

I felt compelled to try it the first time to "be nice", but let me tell you... I nearly cried when she stopped coming to the market.

Thankfully, I had been nosey for weeks and had asked her what her secrets were so I could recreate it for my family and now you can too.

Each Summer, I grow a big tub of basil so I can make and freeze this Mediterranean Pesto with Craisens and eat it all year long.

I love pesto on crackers or crunchy bread. It's delish on any cooked pasta, and on pizzas in place of pizza sauce.

And one of my favorite quick lunches when working from home is Easy Creamy Pesto Gnocchi or an Air Fryer Pizza-Low Carb with a good schmere of this pesto on it!

Ingredients for Pesto with Cranberries

Shredded Parmesan Cheese - I use my food processor to make quick work of shredding a high-quality block of parmesan.
Garlic cloves - lucky for me, garlic and basil are ready to harvest out of my garden at the same time. Of course, you can use store-bought or some from your farmers' market.
Pine Nuts - this is the traditional nut for pesto, but other nuts can be used.
Dried Cranberries - brings a balancing slight sweetness to the pesto.
Fresh Basil - this recipe uses quite a lot of basil so I grow mine, but you can buy it fresh year-round at the store and seasonally at the farmers' market.
Salt - enhances and balances the flavors.
Olive Oil - adds the richness and body to pesto.
Lemon - keeps the basil bright green and rounds out the flavors. I forgot the lemon in the ingredient picture. Please forgive me.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Pesto with Craisins

In a large food processor add the shredded parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, pine nuts, and dried cranberries. Process on low until well combined and mixture is fine.
Add basil and salt. Pulse until the basil has a fine texture.
With the food processor on low, slowly drizzle olive oil into basil mixture. This should take 60-90 seconds. Do not rush.
Squeeze lemon juice into pesto and mix on low until combined.
Store Pesto with Craisins in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2 weeks or spoon it into muffin tins and place it in the freezer.

Hint: Make a day in advance and freeze any leftovers in small containers or spoon into muffin tins for freezing. Pop frozen pesto out of muffin tins and place in a freezer bag for longer storage.

Process shredded parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, pine nuts, and dried cranberries.

Substitutions for Pesto with Craisins

Basil - instead of basil, you can use other soft herbs such as parsley.
Craisins - try other dried fruits such as cherries, if desired.
Pine Nuts - mix it up with pecans or other nuts.
Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to add some heat to your pesto

Storing Pesto with Craisins

Store Pesto with Craisins in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2 weeks or spoon it into muffin tins and place it in the freezer.

When frozen, pop the pesto disks out and put them in a freezer bag to use later.

Top tip

Make pesto when basil is in season, then freeze enough for the whole year.

FAQ

What do you eat pesto with?

Spread it on warm bread for a great side dish alongside a fresh salad, spoon it into cooked pasta, top a simple chicken breast or fish fillet, eggs, use it for pizza sauce, or eat it on great crackers.

How long does pesto last in the fridge?

Store pesto in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or 6 months in the freezer.

Do you eat pesto warm or cold?

Room temperature is best. Heating makes the basil darker green and isn't ideal, but I eat it warm on pasta and love it that way.

Looking for recipes to eat pesto with? Try these:

Pairing

These are some of my favorite dishes:

HAVE A QUESTION? ❤️

Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer you!

And, if you made this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag @laughingroostereats on Instagram and hashtag it #laughingroostereats! Seeing your photos is our favorite thing!

finished creamy pesto that is ready to eat.

Food Safety

Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
Wash hands after touching raw meat
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Never leave cooking food unattended

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.