What can I do to keep my homemade pesto from turning black?
It's Sunday morning and you've decided to treat your family to some delicious gnocchi with pesto sauce. You select the ingredients, crush the pine nuts, grate the Parmesan cheese and mix the fragrant basil leaves with a good drizzle of olive oil. The sauce is ready: green, vibrant, perfect.
But time passes. An hour later, it's time to serve. Everyone sits at the table, ready to enjoy the dish you've prepared with so much care. And then you see: something has changed. The sauce has lost its bright color. The intense green of the basil has turned brown, almost black, dull and unappetizing.
Has this ever happened to you? You are not the only one. The culprit has a name: oxidation. This phenomenon not only alters its appearance, but also its flavor, giving it a bitter and less fresh tinge. What promised to be a spectacular dish now looks neglected.
Why does this happen and, more importantly, how can we prevent our pesto from turning dark and black?
Why does pesto oxidize?
When you cut an apple or an avocado and leave them in the air, in a few minutes their flesh starts to turn brown. The same thing happens with the basil in pesto: it oxidizes. When we break the leaves, we release an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which, when in contact with oxygen, triggers a chemical reaction that forms melanoidins, responsible for that unappetizing brown color.
But oxygen is not the only culprit. There are other factors that accelerate this transformation:
- Heat: If basil is overheated during preparation, its compounds degrade faster and the color changes in a matter of minutes.
- Light: Exposure to light, especially sunlight, breaks down the natural pigments in the leaves.
- Moisture: If the basil is not completely dry before crushing, excess water further accelerates oxidation.
So how can we avoid this? Let's look at a few tricks that will make a difference.
How to prevent pesto from oxidizing?
Fortunately, there are ways to keep pesto green and vibrant longer. Here are four techniques you can put into practice right away.
1. Blanch the basil before using it.
One of the most effective tricks is to blanch basil before crushing it. This means immersing the leaves for 5-10 seconds in boiling water and then immediately transferring them to a bowl of ice water. This process inactivates the enzymes responsible for oxidation without altering the flavor or texture too much. This technique prolongs the freshness of the pesto for days.
2. Adding ice during preparation
The renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura recommends adding a couple of ice cubes when processing basil. The cold slows oxidation and prevents the heat of the food processor from affecting the herb. With this little trick, the pesto retains its color and freshness better, staying vibrant longer.
3. Coat the surface with olive oil
Storing pesto in the fridge? Then coat the surface with a thin layer of olive oil before covering it. The oil acts as a natural barrier, preventing the pesto from coming into contact with oxygen and reducing the chance of browning. This way, the sauce keeps its original color and flavor intact longer.
4. Do not cook or heat pesto
If you have ever heated pesto directly in a pan, you may have noticed that it changes color and loses its freshness. This is one of the most common mistakes. By heating it, you spoil it. Therefore, it is always best to add it just before serving, off the heat, allowing the heat of the pasta to permeate it without degrading it.
How about you?
Did you know these tricks and would you put them into practice? Now that you know how to keep pesto sauce from browning before it reaches the table, you can fully enjoy it in your favorite dishes and appetizers.
And if you want to take your pesto to the next level, here's the original recipe and some ideas on how to get the most out of this delicious Italian sauce ↓↓
Homemade green pesto - pesto alla genovese
The first thing to do is to make a real homemade green pesto sauce. And is that, if there is a sauce capable of conquering everyone with just a spoonful, it is this one:
Full recipe ❘ Homemade green pesto - pesto alla genovese.
Salty New York Roll with pesto and cheese
You can also make a very original appetizer and reinvent the popular New York Roll by giving it a salty twist: crunchy on the outside, filled with creamy pesto and cheese on the inside. Do you dare to try it?
Full recipe ❘ Savory New York roll stuffed with pesto and cheese
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Patricia
