# pesto

/pˈɛstəʊ/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pesto
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

a green sauce made from basil, garlic, olive oil, and nuts. You usually use it to add flavor to pasta or bread.

For teachers: a green sauce traditionally made from basil, garlic, olive oil, and pine nuts, often used as a condiment for pasta or bread.

## Examples

- I always add some pesto to my pasta.
- The chef prepared a fresh basil pesto to serve with the grilled vegetables and crusty bread.
- While traditional pesto relies on pine nuts, many modern variations substitute walnuts or sunflower seeds to accommodate various dietary restrictions without sacrificing the sauce's characteristic nutty flavor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.