pesto

[pes-toh]

noun

Italian Cooking.

1. a sauce typically made with basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and grated Parmesan blended together and served hot or cold over pasta, fish, or meat.

pesto

/ ˈpɛstəʊ /

noun

1. a sauce for pasta, consisting of basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, oil, and Parmesan cheese, all crushed together

Word History and Origins

Origin of pesto¹

First recorded in 1935–40; from Upper Italian (compare Genoese dialect pésto “pesto”), Italian; noun derivative of pestare “to pound, crush”; piste

Word History and Origins

Origin of pesto¹

Italian, shortened form of pestato, past participle of pestare to pound, crush

Example Sentences

A spoonful of green sauce, like chimichurri or pesto, can do the same.

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You can do pizza-inspired with sausage and marinara, vegetarian with mushroom and onion, pesto and goat cheese, buffalo chicken, anything!

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LaMarita recommended playing around with your radish greens and blending them with other leafy greens for a more vibrant and robust pesto.

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So do pestos and moles — the latter a velvety blend of chilies, nuts, chocolate, and spices, essential to many Mexican dishes.

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They can be incorporated into pesto, using a combination of basil or other greens and a fatty cheese, or as an aromatic in a vinaigrette.

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