Oregano Pesto

This Oregano Pesto is a bold Mediterranean herb sauce made with fresh oregano, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Intensely aromatic yet beautifully balanced, it delivers vibrant herbal flavour with nutty richness and a smooth, savoury finish.

Hello, folks! How are you doing? I hope you are having a good week and are getting ready for the weekend. Please be strong, there are only three days left!

Today, I am sharing with you a tasty recipe for pesto. Made with traditional ingredients and featuring fresh oregano in place of basil, this is a fun version that will not disappoint you.

Why You’ll Love This Oregano Pesto

• Bold and aromatic. Fresh oregano gives this pesto a distinctive Mediterranean character that feels more robust than classic basil pesto.
• Classic ingredients. Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil create a traditional pesto foundation with rich, savoury depth.
• Perfectly balanced. Lemon juice brightens the herbs and keeps the flavour fresh rather than overpowering.
• Versatile. Use it with pasta, spoon over grilled chicken, spread on crostini, or drizzle over roasted vegetables.
• A great way to use garden oregano. If your oregano is thriving, this recipe transforms it into something vibrant and delicious.

Pesto Varieties

While you cannot beat traditional basil pesto, you can make so many different variations. Options are literally endless. Here are just a few examples:

• Chive Pesto
• Pistachio Pesto (With Spinach and Parsley)
• Dandelion Pesto

You can use other herbs alone or instead of basil. Parsley and mint are common options, but you can also use or incorporate thyme, chives, cilantro, dill, chervil, and even sage. And, of course, oregano. Also, you can use greens like arugula or spinach as a replacement for basil or in addition to it.

Ingredients for Oregano Pesto Recipe

• Fresh oregano. I used the combination of golden, Greek, and Italian oregano. Greek oregano tends to be more potent, and peppery while golden and Italian oregano is milder and sweeter. The combination works beautifully together, as the flavours balance each other out.. You can use only one type of oregano, but please keep in mind that using only Greek oregano will result in a robust and pronounced flavour. To avoid this, you can use half of parsley or spinach.
• Fresh garlic -adds a savoury kick. I would not recommend using granulated garlic.
• Pine nuts – a traditional ingredient that adds a subtle sweetness as well as creaminess and nuttiness. Please do toast your pine nuts as this extra step adds so much more flavour. You can use other nuts such as cashews, walnuts, or blanched almonds instead.
• Parmesan Cheese – provides a salty, cheesy depth of flavour and helps bind the ingredients. Although not a classic ingredient, you can use Pecorino cheese instead.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – helps bind the ingredients and adds a smooth, rich texture. 
• Lemon juice – just a few drizzles for added freshness and brightness.
• Salt and pepper – just a little to enhance the flavour profile.

How to Use Oregano Pesto

Just like any other pesto. Use it as a pizza sauce, spread it on sandwiches, add it to your salads, toss it with roasted summer vegetables, and use it as a sauce for grilled chicken or fish. And, of course, toss it to pasta!

You can use this Oregano Pesto to make this Pesto Potato Salad or Pesto Pasta Salad.

More Summer Condiments to Try

• Mango Strawberry Salsa
• Roasted Sweet Pepper Dip with Sour Cream and Feta
• Lemon Chive Compound Butter
• Papaya Salsa
• Lavender Tomato Chickpea Spread
• Compound Chive Blossom Butter
• Ajvar – Balkan Pepper Spread (Roasted pepper eggplant spread)

I hope you like this Oregano Pesto, and you will give it a try. If you try it, please let me know in the comment section of this post below, send me an Instagram message, or share your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Oregano Pesto

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Oregano Pesto with Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic is a bold Mediterranean herb sauce. Perfect for pasta, toast, or grilled vegetables.

Course: Condiments Sauces and Compound Butter, Cheese Dips and Spreads

5.0 from 1 vote

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Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 cup (about 30-35 g.) of fresh oregano leaves, packed – I used the combination of Italian, Greek, and golden oregano

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and cut into few parts

• 1/4 cup (35 g.) pine nuts, lightly toasted

• 1/4 cup (about 30 g.) Parmesan, grated or shaved

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup (80 to 115 ml.) extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tbsp (7.5 ml.) fresh lemon juice – or more, to taste

• salt, to taste (start with 1/4 tsp.)

• black pepper, to taste

Directions

• Toast the pine nuts on a dry pan or skillet over high-low heat, tossing often, for about 4-5 minutes. This step is optional, but I won’t recommend skipping it because toasting nuts brings so much more flavour. Let the toasted nuts cool for 5 minutes or so.
• Pull the oregano leaves off the stems and discard the stems. You should have about 1 cup of tightly packed leaves or about 30-35 g. Add the oregano leaves to the food processor.
• Add the salt (starting with about 1/4 tsp. – keep in mind the saltines of cheese), a pinch of black pepper, gallic, toasted pine nuts, and Parmesan to the bowl of the food processor.
• Pulse until the ingredients begin to form a paste and the pine nuts are pulverized.
• Add the lemon juice and start slowly adding the olive oil a little bit at a time (1-2 tablespoons or 15-30 ml.). Run the food processor adding more oil until it reaches a desired consistency. For a thicker version, you may need only about 1/3 cup and for a runnier version – up to 1/2 cup. Be sure to pause the processor every now to scrape down the ingredients on the sides and bottom of the cup.
• Try and adjust the seasonings by adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
• Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. It can last for 3-5 days when refrigerated. To maximize its shelf life and prevent from browning, you can pour a layer of olive oil on top. Enjoy!