Artichoke Pesto Recipe: 4 Ways to Use Artichoke Pesto

Artichoke pesto sauce is an all-purpose condiment featuring artichoke hearts, garlic, lemon, and aged cheese like Asiago or Parmesan. In Italian, “pesto” means “to crush” or “to pound” and refers to a general technique rather than a specific dish.

Basil pesto, or pesto alla Genovese, which combines fresh basil leaves with Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, is one of the best-known examples of this technique. Cooks traditionally make homemade pesto with a mortar and pestle, but you can also make the saucy condiment using a food processor for speed and convenience. You can make gluten-free artichoke lemon pesto by swapping the cow’s milk cheese with cashew cheese.

Artichokes are low in carbohydrates and a good source of calcium, potassium, and vitamin C, which play a vital role in blood circulation, nerve function, and tissue regeneration, respectively.

There are a variety of ways to use lemony artichoke pesto in your cooking, including:

1. 1. As a condiment: Add a scoop of artichoke pesto to chilled pesto pasta salad or enjoy it alongside leftover grilled chicken breast and cooked grains, like farro.
2. 2. As a dip: Serve artichoke pesto alongside crostini, a vegetable crudité platter, toasted wedges of flatbread, or chips for an easy, low-calorie party snack.
3. 3. As a sauce: Like basil pesto, you can use artichoke pesto to create a light and summery pasta dish. Warm artichoke pesto in a saucepan over low heat, then add in cooked noodles, a bit of crème fraîche, and pasta water to thicken.
4. 4. As a spread: Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer consisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and finished with a drizzle of olive oil. (In Italy, bruschetta refers to the grilled bread, but in other parts of the world, it refers to toppings like artichoke pesto that’s slathered on the grilled bread.) Serve artichoke pesto warm with freshly grilled bread or add a layer of it to grilled cheese sandwiches.

Store artichoke pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze it for six months. Float a thin layer of olive oil on top before sealing the bag to maintain moisture.