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Freezer-Stash Salad Pesto

Recipe

One item people admit they are most guilty of wasting is salad leaves, but most people don’t realise you CAN actually freeze salad leaves; you just can’t use them to make a salad afterwards.    

Always give them an extra wash before freezing and use them straight from frozen to make this tasty pesto (you can even freeze all of the other ingredients to avoid any of them going to waste too).    

If preferred you could also multiply up this recipe and make a batch of the pesto using your fresh ingredients, then freeze it in an ice cube tray to use later.    

The brilliant thing about this recipe, is that whilst I have included quantities as a guide below, you can absolutely make it to taste, so if you have more salad leaves to save, or want to punch up the flavour with more basil, garlic or lemon you can just keep on tinkering with it, tasting until you’re happy.    

Just remember you can always add more but can’t take things away, so add your ingredients gradually!

  

Ingredients  

  • 20g frozen mixed salad leaves  
  • 5g frozen basil  
  • 5g frozen shaved parmigiano reggiano (parmesan) or vegetarian alternative  
  • 1/2 frozen small garlic clove, crushed (approx. 1g)    
  • 10g frozen pine nuts  
  • 20ml extra virgin olive oil (or olive oil)    
  • lemon juice to taste (I used about 1/8 wedge)  
  • large pinch flaked sea salt    
  • freshly ground black pepper

  

Method

  1. Use a hand blender to combine all of the ingredients, straight from frozen
  2. Serve immediately; it can be used cold in sandwiches and wraps, or hot in cooked dishes. If you are cooking, just make sure you get the dish piping hot throughout

  

Serving Suggestion

This pesto recipe is perfect dished up with just pasta or gnocchi for a light lunch, or you could make it into a bigger meal by adding a baked salmon fillet and toasted pine nuts.