Store-Bought Pesto You’d Actually Want to Eat

Published on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, by Sarah Perry / Edit Post

Let's get this out of the way: Homemade pesto is better than store-bought pesto. But it's labor-intensive, especially if you're going to turn your basil to a paste with a mortar and pestle instead of a food processor. Is there any pesto you can buy at the store that's worth eating? harryharry likes the fresh pesto made by Sauces ’n Love, in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. The same company makes a shelf-stable product called Scarpetta, and Lenox637 is a fan.

Costco pesto gets high marks from Chowhounds. "I like to keep a jar of the Costco pesto on hand. It works quite well when basil is out of season and I've run out of my own homemade frozen pesto," says decolady. Big Sal likes the pesto Gustiamo sells on its website. "Fresh pesto is best when you can get fresh basil, but this was marvelous in the middle of winter. The taste and aroma is wonderful. It is quite expensive, but a little goes a long way," says Big Sal. And Karl S suggests looking for pesto made from basil from Liguria, such as Roland brand. "American basil tends to be BIGGER! BOLDER! in flavor (in the form of menthol flavors), and that is a not a good thing for pesto, which is meant to be more delicate," he says.

Discuss: best store bought pesto?

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  • I used to love Gaziello Pesto when I was still in Germany and knew an importer who would deliver that by mail order. Now in the USA, I have tried a lot of terrible stuff from supermarkets, and most of them should not even be legally allowed to call themselves "Pesto", because they carry so many ingredients that don't belong in there (potatoe flakes, starch, anyone?).

    But then I tried...+READ

    I used to love Gaziello Pesto when I was still in Germany and knew an importer who would deliver that by mail order. Now in the USA, I have tried a lot of terrible stuff from supermarkets, and most of them should not even be legally allowed to call themselves "Pesto", because they carry so many ingredients that don't belong in there (potatoe flakes, starch, anyone?).

    But then I tried Gustiamo's pesto, and yes, that is the real thing. Yes, expensive, that is true, and so you can't have that any day. It is limited in quantities anyway... (as this is NOT an industrial product made in gazillion numbers!)

    I am a mail order customer of Gustiamo for many years and I can recommend theirs very much. Try it once, and you'll be hooked, you will never again want any other!

    Oh, and connect with them on facebook, so you don't miss any of their sales and discounts, as they are announcing those first to their facebook friends!!!! Sometimes as high as 40% off, or recently buy one get one free, so that helps a lot when it comes to expensive italian imports from artisan family producers!!-COLLAPSE