This recipe has been on repeat in my house over the last few weeks, as I’ve been chipping away at my giant bundle of fresh parsley that I received in my latest CSA box.  It’s garlicky, it’s herby, and it goes with everything.  I subbed the olive oil in a traditional pesto recipe with yogurt for a lighter, creamier take on the traditional recipe.  This is also a nut-free pesto, so great for any allergens in the house (other than dairy!).  This pesto also features extra flavor punches from dried rosemary, sumac, and garlic – so there is a lot of great flavors here ready to punch up any meal!

I made this recipe by chopping up the parsley, but it would work if using a food processor as well.  Chopping is definitely slower, but I hate taking out and washing unnecessary appliances (of which my food processor is one).  Even with the chopping, this recipe comes together in about 10 minutes, and creates a delightful, flavorful sauce that can brighten everything from pizza to fries, to salads and sandwiches.

As usual, this recipe is totally swappable and customizable to anything that you might have on hand.  Parsley can be swapped out with any tender herb – fennel and basil would both give you delightful, licorice vibes, cilantro would give you a zesty, creamy salsa vibe.  Any hard cheese will work here (pecorino or aged gouda are both good replacements for parmesan), and use any yogurt with any fat level that you prefer (if using Greek yogurt, you may want to thin it out slightly with a couple tablespoons of milk or buttermilk).  Use what you have to make this delightful sauce! 

Recipe down below, photo up top!  This makes enough for one big serving, we polished this off with a pile of sweet potato fries last night.  Scale up for bigger gatherings or for meal prep to use as a veggie dip or salad dressing throughout the week!

Creamy Parsley and Garlic Pesto

Ingredients:

• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• ½ cup of whole milk yogurt
• 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • I used my Sweet Italian seasoning!
• 1 tbsp Sumac
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

1. Wash and thoroughly dry parsley (as needed).  Chop finely and place into a large bowl or container.
2. Add yogurt, dried rosemary, sumac, and salt to the parsley, and stir to combine.  If you feel that more yogurt is needed, adjust by adding a little more yogurt to make a more creamy and less herby mix.
3. Using a microplane grater, grate the garlic clove into the parsley/yogurt mix.  Use the microplane grater to also grate some parmesan cheese into the parsley/yogurt mix as well.  Stir to combine.
4. Grab something to dip into this delightful pesto and enjoy!