Sesampesto (sesame pesto)
A nut-free pesto built on toasted sesame seeds instead of pine nuts, the seeds toasted in a dry pan first until they smell distinctly nutty, which is what gives this pesto real depth instead of tasting flat and raw. Toasting whole seeds rather than buying pre-toasted ones means you control exactly how far the flavour develops before it tips into bitter.
Prep10 min
Cook5 min
Servings4
Christoph's sesame pesto, the seeds toasted from raw so the depth is fully under control.
Ingredients
Units
Temperature
Servings
Pesto
- 80 g sesame seeds rounded
- 40 g fresh basil rounded
- 1 garlic clove rounded
- 90 ml olive oil rounded
- 15 ml lemon juice rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
Dietary labels are a guide, not a guarantee. If you have an allergy, read the ingredients yourself.
Method
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, until a shade darker and smelling distinctly toasted. Watch closely near the end, since they go from toasted to burnt quickly. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Blend the toasted sesame seeds, basil and garlic until mostly fine.
- With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice, blending until it comes together as a thick, spreadable paste.
- Season with salt.
Notes
- Toast the sesame seeds yourself, don’t skip this. Raw sesame seeds taste flat and slightly bitter blended straight into a pesto; toasting develops the nutty depth that carries the whole dish.
- Watch the seeds closely once they start colouring. The gap between perfectly toasted and burnt is short, and burnt sesame turns acrid rather than nutty.
- Let the seeds cool a little before blending. Blending them straight from the hot pan can wilt the basil prematurely.
- It keeps for a week in the fridge under a thin layer of oil, or freezes well in small portions.
Ingredient substitutions
- A mix of white and black sesame seeds gives a more visually striking pesto without changing the flavour much.
- Parsley can stand in for basil for a milder, more neutral pesto.
- A little tahini stirred in gives an even deeper sesame flavour and a smoother texture.
From Christoph Mayer