Summer is here, which means it’s a great time to utilize all those gorgeous farmer’s market herbs in my cooking. One of my favorite recipes? Bright and cheesy pesto genovese. My goal is always to get close to the one my grandmother made from basil she grew in her garden—a typical Italian-American story! But what about the rest of the year, or for those times I don’t have access to fresh ingredients? Store-bought is convenient, sure, but all aren’t created equal.
It may sound silly, but I can’t tell you how difficult it has been to find a solid pre-made pesto, one that actually tastes like its main ingredients—basil, Parmesan, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil. Some are made with vegetable oil instead of olive oil, Grana Padano cheese instead of Parmesan, and many look more army green or have larger pieces of garlic than usual. I decided to test as many as I could find to decide once and for all which was the best. I tested the pestos solo and with pasta to get the full experience. Here are my findings:
8. Classico
As much as I’d love to like them all… The aroma, texture, and flavor here were not reminiscent of pesto. Pesto should smell vibrant—like fresh basil, oil, and garlic—but this one smelled like something was fermenting. This one was made with soybean oil, and the texture was very grainy as if there was processed, and not fresh, Parmesan. Is it terrible to say it reminds me of a middle school cafeteria hot lunch?
7. Bowl & Basket
Don’t let the lure of this budget-friendly option from ShopRite sway you. Similar to Classico, this brand presented a funky acidic flavor. I initially thought there might even be vinegar in this one and that the basil wasn’t prominent enough, which made me think there was another herb present. Overall, this one did not taste like pesto at all.
6. Rao's
Rao’s makes a solid jarred marinara sauce, so I had high expectations for this. From the looks of it, it seemed like arguably too much cheese mixed in. The texture was very gritty and reminiscent of commercially-processed Parmesan. Pesto should taste just as good alone as it does on pasta, and though eating this with pasta did improve it slightly, I ultimately didn’t think this one tasted much like a pesto.
5. Barilla
I love the texture and pungent raw flavor of garlic in pesto, so I was excited to see larger pieces of it in this jar. The color was army green—a little suspicious—and as with a few previous there was a tang to the pesto that didn’t make sense. The pesto didn’t taste any better on pasta than it did alone. Overall, it didn’t taste like a true pesto.
4. Rana
The aroma of sauce is a major indicator of quality, in my opinion, and this smelled more like a pesto than some of the others. It had a strong cheese-forward flavor too, which I actually felt was off balance for a typical pesto. I didn’t mind it on the pasta, so if you prefer a cheese-heavy pesto, then have at this one!
3. Trader Joe's
This was very smooth for a pesto, with a vibrant green color and lots of cheesy speckles mixed in. This was another one I had high hopes for, but was surprised by and not too keen on its grassy, spinach flavor. That said, I did love how fragrant the garlic and olive oil were, and this is definitely one I’d consider grabbing when I need an easy store-bought option.
2. Costco
This pesto had a nearly-pureed consistency, and I loved its aroma. The texture was a bit gritty, and almost tasted like Pecorino Romano, which is my absolute favorite. This was nice mixed into pasta, but I did think it could use more basil. I investigated, and the basil they use is specifically imported straight from the source. It’s a true P.D.O (Protected Designation of Origin) Genovese basil imported right from Italy, and I'll always want more of that.
1. Gotham Greens
Gotham Greens is is a bit of a cheat, since it's a pre-packaged refrigerated pesto (unlike the jarred ones above), but it was so good it had to be the winner. It's a superstar for being made with pure pesto ingredients: basil, olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and pine nuts. The color and aroma are spot on, and the pesto itself is perfectly balanced. I’d certainly recommend purchasing this over making pesto at home yourself, and that's saying something!
