Feta Pesto

Pesto is so yummy and versatile that I find myself wanting to put it on a lot of things. It’s pretty crazy, you can find pesto on so many foods – sandwiches, eggs and fish to name a few. I love the nutty, fresh flavor pesto brings to meals and while I have a couple of favorite pesto recipes, I’ve always wanted to try a pesto spread that’s a little creamier with some tang.

What better ingredient to accomplish this than feta? Fresh feta to be exact. Trust me, fresh feta (from your grocery store deli) is the way to go on this one. There’s a huge difference. I’d recommend Greek or Bulgarian. Shhh… don’t tell my Yiayia I’m recommending Bulgarian.

This pesto is lighter and thicker than most, and that’s because feta is the star of the show. I’d recommend it with an orecchiette pasta because the little ears of pasta scoop up all of it up – my favorite!! Let’s be real, it’s also perfect with crisp roasted potatoes, or on grilled pizza, or grilled chicken. Yes, the list goes on and on.

Side note, my Yiayia and Papou have feta with toast almost every morning – how sweet is that? They are the cutest. I think I’ll ask if they want to switch it up by topping their toast with feta pesto.

Use up your basil before the first frost! If you decide to make this in the summer, adding some lemon juice and/or zest will lighten it up for those warmer days.  Don’t forget to tag your photo with #marinamakeseats!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup of toasted walnuts
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of crumbled feta

Directions

Set frying pan to medium heat and add walnuts, cooking for about 5-7 minutes, until they begin to become fragrant and brown.

Combine walnuts, olive oil and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Add the basil and feta to the mixture and process until combined.