A guide to the flavours
Types of pesto and what they suit
Pesto is a method, not a single recipe. Change the herb and you change the colour, the sharpness and the dishes it belongs to.
Basil, the starting point
The most recognisable and the most flexible. It suits pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella, focaccia and roasted vegetables. If you are bringing pesto into your offer, this is usually where it starts.
Herb variants with a different character
Each herb leads a dish somewhere else, so build a range on contrast rather than on variations of the same note.
- parsley: savoury, for fish, potatoes and meat
- rocket: peppery, for sandwiches, salads and beef
- spinach: mild, for spreads and for children
- coriander: pronounced, for Asian and Latin American cooking
- wild garlic: seasonal, spring, strongly garlicky
Beyond herbs
Sun-dried tomato pesto is sweeter and thicker, and works well in sandwiches and as a sauce base. Garlic pesto behaves like a concentrated addition to bread, marinades and herb butter.
Choosing a range
For a shop or a kitchen, two or three flavours with distinct characters work best: one classic, one savoury, one pronounced. After a few weeks you can see what moves and add from there.
Questions and answers
Questions before you start
- Which type of pesto is the most popular?
- Basil. It is the flavour customers look for first and the easiest to sell without explanation.
- Can pesto be made without nuts?
- Yes, pine nuts can be replaced with other seeds. The ingredients and allergens for every Utarté flavour are on the product page and on the jar label.
- How many flavours should a shop start with?
- Three: basil, parsley and sun-dried tomato. That set covers the most common uses without slowing rotation.