This Asparagus Pesto recipe will be your new favorite pasta topping during asparagus season. The pesto is good on bread too.

For more ideas of what to cook, check out all our recipes.

I feel bad for asparagus, if I’m being completely honest. It’s one of those vegetables that gets a bad rap. When you’re a kid, you just inherently know you hate asparagus and Brussels sprouts even if you’ve never even seen them in real life. But asparagus is delicious, so hopefully you have graduated from that kiddie pallet because this Asparagus Pesto is insanely good.

I got the recipe from a friend of mine, and every time I make it, we’re in love with dinner. We usually serve it over pasta with Gorgonzola cheese and sausage. You can use it as a marinade for chicken or a garnish for a steak or heck, even as a salad dressing.

Whatever way you eat it, I know you’ll love it.

Unless you’re still listening to that kid in your second grade class who told you not to eat it because it makes your pee smell.

Asparagus Pesto Recipe

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Asparagus Pesto Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup nuts
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt (to taste)

How To Make Asparagus Pesto:

Snap the bottoms off of the asparagus at its natural break.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Put the asparagus and garlic in the water and cook for two minutes.

Drain the asparagus and garlic and, either, put them in ice water or just throw a few ice cubes on the top of the asparagus to blanch them.

When that has cooled, cut the tips off the asparagus and set them aside. Rough chop the stems.

Put the stems, nuts, and garlic in a blender.

Side note about the nuts: The original recipe someone gave me for this had hazelnuts. I didn’t like how overpowering those were, so I changed to walnuts and they’re great. Pine nuts would be delicious too.

Add the basil, parsley, cheese, and salt to the blender, plus have the olive oil. Blend, then add the rest of the olive oil and blend until smooth.

We usually serve this over orecchietti pasta with cooked sausage and Gorgonzola cheese. We use the tops of the asparagus as a garnish. It’s so good that way.

Asparagus Pesto is also great as a bruschetta base instead of tomatoes. Or even set it out with toasted bread as a dip.

Asparagus Pesto is really versatile and it’ll be your new go to topping.

Have you tried this Asparagus Pesto recipe? What did you pair it with?