Pesto, an Italian staple originating from Genoa, is celebrated for its rich flavor derived from basil, hard cheese, olive oil, and pine nuts. While traditionally served with pasta or as a soup topping, its international popularity has led to numerous variations, including those made with walnuts, kale, aubergine, and ricotta.

Understanding Pesto's Nutritional Profile

Despite its healthy-sounding ingredients like basil, olive oil, and nuts, pesto is inherently calorie-dense and high in fat. Registered dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine explains that the combination of olive oil and pine nuts, while providing healthy unsaturated fats, contributes significantly to its high calorie count. A few spoonfuls stirred into pasta can quickly add several hundred calories.

Strategies for Healthier Pesto Consumption

Incorporating pesto into a balanced diet is possible, but mindful consumption is key, particularly for those focused on weight management. Portion control is paramount. Instead of coating large bowls of pasta, Ludlam-Raine suggests using smaller amounts of pesto and bulking meals with vegetables and lean protein sources like chicken, beans, lentils, or fish.

Alternative serving suggestions include stirring pesto through roasted vegetables, using it as a marinade for proteins, or mixing a spoonful into Greek yogurt to create a lighter dressing or dip. These methods allow for enjoying pesto's flavor without relying on large quantities.

Homemade Pesto and Ingredient Swaps

Making pesto at home offers greater control over ingredients. Ludlam-Raine recommends modifying traditional ratios by increasing the volume of vegetables and herbs while slightly reducing the oil. Her own version includes fresh basil and spinach, pine nuts, cashews, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. The addition of spinach boosts volume and nutrients without significantly altering the flavor, and nutritional yeast provides a savory, cheesy taste.

Evaluating Store-Bought Pesto Options

When selecting jarred pesto, it's important to scrutinize ingredients beyond just calories, as convenience foods often contain preservatives and fillers. Dietitians have evaluated several popular supermarket pestos:

Top-Rated Options

  • Belazu Aubergine and Parmesan Pesto: This option stands out with aubergine making up over half the product. Its emphasis on vegetables rather than oil, combined with a simple ingredient list featuring rapeseed oil, earns it a 5/5 rating.
  • Seggiano Raw Basil Pesto: Closer to homemade versions, this pesto features extra virgin olive oil as the primary ingredient, along with cashew nuts, basil, and pine nuts. Its short, recognizable ingredient list and high-quality components result in a 5/5 rating, though it is calorie-dense.
  • Daylesford Organic Basil Pesto: Another premium choice, this pesto's main ingredient is extra virgin olive oil, supported by nuts, basil, and Parmigiano Reggiano PDO. It is highly energy-dense due to generous amounts of olive oil and nuts, earning a 5/5 rating.
  • Isle of Wight Tomatoes Roasted Tomato Pesto: With 60% roasted tomatoes, this pesto prioritizes vegetables. While it uses sunflower oil, the overall ingredient list is impressive, including garlic-infused oil, seeds, and nutritional yeast, leading to a 4.5/5 rating.
  • Saclà Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto: Tomato purée is the first ingredient, indicating significant vegetable content. The inclusion of tomatoes, peppers, and carrots alongside sunflower oil makes it a nutritionally balanced option with a 4/5 rating.
  • Saclà Fiery Chilli Pesto: Peppers are the main ingredient, with a reasonable amount of tomato paste. Despite using sunflower oil and a small amount of rice syrup, it offers a good balance of flavor and vegetable content, rated 4/5.

Moderately Rated Options

  • Filippo Berio Classic Pesto: Contains a good amount of basil (46%), but sunflower oil is the primary oil, with some extra virgin olive oil included. It is rated 3.5/5.
  • Belazu Traditional Genovese Pesto: Features a high proportion of basil (45%) and Parmigiano Reggiano. Sunflower oil is dominant, but the simple ingredient list is a positive. Rated 3.5/5.

Options to Approach with Caution

  • Filippo Berio Tomato & Ricotta Pesto: While tomatoes are prominent, the addition of glucose syrup is a nutritional drawback. Rated 1.5/5.
  • Saclà Classic Basil Pesto: Basil is the first ingredient (45.5%), but sunflower oil is the main fat source. Rated 2.5/5.
  • Barilla Pesto alla Genovese: High in calories and fat, with sunflower oil as the main ingredient. Ingredients like whey powder and maize fibre are less traditional. Rated 2/5.