Picada, a Spanish-style pesto, is an amazingly flavored condiment that can be used on just about anything or add heart and flavor to dishes like stews, soups, sauces, meat, seafood, or roasted veggies.
It can even be a finishing ingredient on top of pizza bread or garlic crostini. It's a wonderful recipe to have on hand.
There are so many varieties of a Picada recipe. But essentially, it's a dense paste that combines the flavors of nuts, usually almonds, pan-fried bread, olive oil, garlic, spices, and a herb, usually parsley.
It's so easy to make if you have a blender or food processor on hand and can be used as a thickening agent, a topping, or just a seasoning, as in my Spanish Pesto Chicken Thighs.
The possibilities for using this condiment—which originated from Catalan cuisine—are endless. This is an adapted family version from my time living in Spain. Let's make it.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Versatility: This Picada recipe can flavor a wide array of dishes, not just Spanish dishes. Its ability to blend seamlessly with various ingredients makes it a valuable sauce to have on hand to enhance both everyday meals and special occasions.
- Depth of Flavor: Picada creates texture and a luxurious depth of flavor to dishes, far surpassing that of traditional pestos or sauces.
- It's easy to make and adapt: You can use different types of nuts and herbs, or you can remove the bread for a low-carb version (see variations).
Ingredients & Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here's what you need to make this Picada recipe:
- Extra virgin olive oil: You can add more than suggested in the recipe card for a less dense consistency.
- Garlic cloves: Choose two large garlic cloves.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley leaves add that herbaceous flavor and a beautiful green color. Use any extra leaves to make my parsley cilantro chimichurri sauce.
- Slivered Almonds: They are easier to process or pulse than regular almonds.
- Fresh bread: Choose gluten-free bread if preferred. I usually go for Ezekiel bread.
- Salt to taste.
How to Make It
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Step One (Picture 1 above) - In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Toast bread on both sides til golden brown. Remove from stove and cut toasted bread into cubes.
Step Two (Picture 2 above) - Place all ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Pulse or blend until you get a crumbly Picada.
Step Three (Picture 3 above): To make a smoother paste, you can add more olive oil or a bit of chicken broth or bone broth (vegetable broth to keep it plant-based). Add more salt if needed.
Variations
It's a great recipe to change up and make it your own. Here are a few suggestions:
- Instead of almonds, try hazelnuts, pine nuts, or walnuts.
- Instead of parsley, experiment with fresh cilantro, mint, or basil.
- Instead of bread, use more almonds to make the Picada pesto (low carb). Or use one of my gluten-free drop biscuits.
- Experiment by adding lime juice or maybe some white wine.
- Make the texture smoother by adding more olive oil or some chicken broth to make it one of your favorite toppings.
Using Picada Pesto
There are so many ways of using this Spanish-style pesto; too many to mention here. It's such a versatile recipe.
But here are a few suggestions to add tons of flavor to your dishes and use it in different ways:
- As a topping: On thick-crusted pizza bread, garlic crostini, warm corn tortillas, or flour tortillas. Sprinkle on grilled fish, thin slices of steak, burrito bowls, etc.
- As a flavor enhancer or thickener: Try adding it to plantain rice bowls, slow-cooker ribs, soups, stews, ground beef dishes, etc.
- Swirl it through plates of pasta or roasted veggies.
- And definitely use it to flavor my pan-seared chicken thighs.
Storage
Although I prefer to make this quick Picada recipe on the spot, you can make it ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for the next day or so.
Just add it to the cooking juices of whatever recipe you want to enhance its flavors.
More Recipes To Try Next
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You'll appreciate how this simple Picada recipe blends the rich, savory flavors of pan-fried bread with the freshness of herbs and olive oil. Happy cooking!
📖 Recipe
Easy Picada Recipe (Spanish-Style Pesto)
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 Blender or food processor (alternatively, use a mortar and pestle to pound the picada into a crumbly or smooth paste).
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 2 slices of fresh bread—see note 2.9 ounces or 82 grams
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped 10 grams
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup slivered almonds 30 grams
Instructions
- In a skillet large enough to hold the bread, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 slices of fresh bread—see note
- Add the bread and toast on both sides until golden ( about 2 to 3 minutes on both sides—the bread should gently sizzle in the oil).
- Remove bread from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into small cubes.
- Add the toast, parsley, garlic, salt, almonds, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse until everything is finely chopped, and you get a crumbly picada.¼ cup parsley, finely chopped, 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup slivered almonds
- Remove from the blender. Transfer to a container of choice and stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until well incoprorated.
Notes
- Bread: I usually go for gluten-free or Ezekiel bread, which adds a beautiful consistency to this Picada recipe.
- If you want a smoother Picada, add a few more teaspoons of olive oil to the food processor and pulse until you get the desired consistency. Adding some chicken broth or bone broth is another option. Always adjust the amount of salt and add more if needed.
- Equipment: You can use a mortar and pestle, but a food processor or blender makes it quicker and easier.
- Storage: Although you can store it in the fridge for a day or so, I highly recommend making a fresh batch whenever you need it to get the best quality and flavors from a Picada pesto.
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- Instead of almonds, try hazelnuts, pine nuts, or walnuts.
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- Instead of parsley, experiment with fresh cilantro, mint, or basil.
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- Instead of bread, use more almonds to make the Picada pesto (low carb). Or use one of my gluten-free drop biscuits.
-
- Experiment by adding lime juice or maybe some white wine.
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- Make the texture smoother by adding more olive oil to make it one of your favorite toppings, or add some chicken broth. dd more salt if needed.
Add your own private notes
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
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