Spicy Jalapeno Pesto

5 from 9 votes

This jalapeno pesto is the perfect condiment to give your sandwiches, pasta, and pizzas a little kick! Spicy pesto is as tasty as it is simple!

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: jalapeno pesto, jalapenos pesto, spicy pesto

Servings: servings

Calories: 58kcal

Add walnuts to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add basil, oregano leaves, sliced jalapenos, garlic cloves, freshly grated parmesan cheese, lime juice, salt, and pepper to the food processor and blend until everything is coarsley chopped. You may need to scrape edges down with a rubber spatula once or twice.
When the desired texture is achieved, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending on the lowest setting.
Store spicy pesto in a mason jar or other airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Pesto may appear chunky until we add the olive oil, so if you feel like it isn't as smooth as you want it, wait until after step 3 to decide if it still needs to be blended longer/at a higher speed. You may also want to thin it with additional olive oil.
You can drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top to preserve the vibrant green color of the pesto and prevent browning.

You can use either a food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle to make this recipe.

For an even deeper flavor, you can lightly toast the garlic and nuts in a pan before blending.

Jalapenos make a great addition to pesto, but why stop there? You can make a spicy pesto with many peppers like serranos, habaneros, and more!

The level of heat will vary, depending on the jalapenos you have, so if you're worried about it being too hot, start with 1 and go from there. If you think 2 won't be enough heat, grab a couple extra peppers just in case!