Basil is a magical herb on its own, but puree it with nuts, garlic, cheese and oil, and it becomes a beautiful green paste that tastes like spring. It’s herbaceous and so packed with flavor that it transforms everything it touches. It can be slathered on a sandwich, stirred into vegetables or pasta, dolloped into soup or spread across a pizza.
Making pesto isn’t difficult — when basil is in season. But when basil is in short supply, the best option is to grab a jar of pre-made pesto found on the pasta aisle. Jarred pesto comes in all colors, textures and styles. Great pesto bursts with the aroma and flavor of basil. The other top-quality ingredients should add layers of flavor without overwhelming the star attraction.
Sadly, many of these supermarket jars are oily, salty or unbalanced. Some ingredient substitutions work. Cheap ones — cheese powder instead of actual cheese, spinach in place of some basil, sunflower instead of olive oil — do not.
Here’s the scoop on the best jarred pestos and the one you’ll want to avoid. Nutrition info refers to 60 grams or about 1/4 cup of sauce.
This extra-cheesy, traditional pesto is delicious enough to eat as a dip straight from the jar. It’s thick and has a perfect balance of basil, cheese, garlic and nuts. 305 calories, 30 g fat, 933 mg sodium. $5.99 for 6.7 ounces at Target. (4 stars)
This non-traditional, cheese- and garlic-free puree made with Ligurian basil is oily, but it has a great aroma and a delicious, sweet basil flavor. 340 calories, 34 g fat, 570 mg sodium. $10.49 for 7.1 ounces at Whole Foods. (4 stars)
Extra-thick and basil-forward, this paste delivers a super-grassy, slightly peppery hit of flavor. It’s deep, dark green and has a mere touch of cheese and garlic. 360 calories, 36 g fat, 720 mg sodium. $8.95 for 4.5 ounces from Markethallfoods.com. (3½ stars)
Cut the salt in this cheesy blend, and it would score higher. As-is, it’s flavorful and hits all the right flavor notes of a good homemade pesto. 250 calories, 26 g fat, 960 mg sodium. $2.49 for 6.7 ounces. (3½ stars)
Fans of garlic will appreciate this chunky, olive green colored pesto. It’s a bit tart and needs more basil, but it delivers a mouthful of flavor thanks to Grana Padano cheese and lots of garlic. 190 calories, 18 g fat, 600 mg sodium. $3.59 for 6.5 ounces at Raley’s. (3 stars)
Stir some extra oil into this dense mash, and the fresh flavor of just-picked basil pops. It needs more garlic and cheese to be true pesto, but the fresh herb punch is impressive. 277 calories, 27 g fat, 496 mg sodium. $3.99 for 6.5 ounces at Whole Foods. (2½ stars)
This chunky puree is a bit too oily and tart, but the flavors are fresh. A touch less cheese would let the basil shine more. 320 calories, 32 g fat, 620 mg sodium. $5.19 for 6.25 ounces at Raley’s. (2½ stars)
Basil takes a back seat to the nuts in this chunky mix, but it’s tasty nonetheless. It’s a great choice for vegans, as tofu, sunflower oil and cashews stand in for the cheese. 268 calories, 27 g fat, 354 mg sodium. $3.99 for 6.5 ounces at Safeway. (2 stars)
A big hit of black pepper and a long cook time might be why this tastes more like oregano than basil. 223 calories, 21 g fat, 542 mg sodium. $4.59 for 8.1 ounces at Raley’s. (2 stars)
The ingredient list on this brand looks promising, but the results taste bitter and the texture is way off. It’s chewy and tough. 180 calories, 18 g fat, 240 mg sodium. $4.59 for 7.9 ounces at Raley’s. (1 star)
Edible? Yes, but it’s not basil pesto. This tastes more like cooked chives and spinach topped with a sprinkle of cheese. 238 calories, 23 g fat, 362 mg sodium. $5.99 for 6.7 ounces at Whole Foods. (½ a star)
There are a lot of things right about this lush green mix, but despite the sodium content listed on the label, the salt content is searing. 373 calories, 36 g fat, 413 mg sodium. $5.99 for 6.35 ounces at Sprouts. (½ a star)
Yogurt doesn’t belong in pesto. Yes, it adds a creamy note, but it also dilutes the flavors and turns the mix unpleasantly sour. 240 calories, 23 g fat, 454 mg sodium. $3.79 for 6.7 ounces. (No stars)
This oily, gritty concoction is green, but it’s wickedly salty, and there’s no trace of basil flavor or aroma. 355 calories, 37 g fat, 806 mg sodium. $5.99 for 6.35 ounces at Whole Foods. (No stars)
The flavor of rancid garlic overpowers every other flavor in this sweet, unpleasant paste. 211 calories, 21 g fat, 411 mg sodium, 2 g sugar. $4.29 for 8 ounces at FoodMaxx. (No stars)
Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com. Read more Taste-off columns at www.mercurynews.com/tag/taste-off.
