The Best Store-Bought Pesto, According to Experts

It's the key to flavorful dinners in a flash.

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Before we fall too far into the crisp autumnal weather, there's still time to enjoy the light, fresh flavors of late summer. Nothing incorporates them all quite like pesto—that aromatic blend of basil, olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan, and garlic that instantly enlivens pasta, pizza, and more.

Pesto is a simple sauce that's easy to make at home with a blender or food processor. But for those who don't have the time, in the immortal words of Ina Garten, store-bought is fine.

There are plenty of pre-made pestos on the market, with virtually every grocery store offering at least a few options (though thankfully not quite as many varieties as tomato sauces). I consulted the experts on how to pick the winner in this pile of prepared pestos.

The Best Store-Bought Pesto, According to Culinary Pros

To know which store-bought varieties are worthwhile, it helps to know what pesto tastes like at its best. "Pesto in general should be really nutty and herby," says Danny Palumbo, food writer for the Los Angeles Times, Bon Appétit, and Slate; author of The Move newsletter. Its simplicity is its strength: "You should mostly taste basil and pine nuts."

The other ingredients are there to enrich the main flavor drivers, he adds, explaining that the cheese adds saltiness and the garlic adds bite. However, a rich earthiness should be the key takeaway.

The experts express that subtlety, such as this, can be tough for a mass-produced, shelf-stable product to achieve. "A lot of store-bought pesto can be kind of sour, too garlicky, or just kind of flat tasting," explains Palumbo.

If you want to make your recipes sing, the pros point to refrigerated pestos. "Kirkland Signature Imported Basil Pesto is about as close as you can get to homemade," Palumbo says. "The basil flavor is strong, and there's a prominent nuttiness and richness. The garlic flavor is mild, and a slight bit of cheese adds all the salt you need. It's a really great pesto."

While refrigerated varieties can expire slightly quicker than the room-temp counterparts, Palumbo is happy with the shelf life he gets out of the Kirkland brand.

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A Shelf-Stable Option

Micheline Maynard, author of the CulinaryWoman newsletter, agrees that not all shelf-stable pestos are created equal—that's why she tends to keep a go-to pesto on hand, as well as a cheaper "emergency" pesto for backup.

DeCecco Pesto alla Genovese is her preferred brand. "I feel it has the freshest, most basil-y taste," Maynard says, explaining that its flavor profile is similar to that of her homemade pesto and the fresh stuff at the farmers market. "I can serve this without having to do much to it, other than add it to warm pasta and include some veggies."

Trader Joe's Basil Pesto, meanwhile, is what Maynard considers a solid and more affordable backup option, but she suggests doctoring it up before enjoying. "I will add more olive oil to give it better 'slip,'" she says, referring to the ease with which it incorporates into pasta dishes. "Sometimes, I will add a chiffonade of fresh basil to give it more basil punch."

Refrigerated Versus Shelf-Stable Pesto

The trade-off with refrigerated fresh pesto is that while it tastes closer to homemade, it also expires more quickly since it lacks preservatives. Depending on how often you prepare pesto dishes or the season in which you're cooking them, having a jar of shelf-stable pesto around is your best bet.

Once you have your kitchen stocked with pre-made pestos, put them to use! We suggest these four-ingredient recipes, Shrimp Pesto Pasta or Pesto Tortellini Salad, both of which promise ease and big flavor. Whether it's refrigerated or shelf-stable, a jar of the nutty, smooth, green sauce is sure to transform a weeknight dinner.

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