Discover the Best Supermarket Pesto Brand, According to Yuka!

In a perfect world, we’d make our own pesto with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and pine nuts. But in everyday life, that’s not so simple: ingredients can be expensive and cooking takes time. Consequently, many of us opt for jarred versions, which are more practical and accessible. True, they don’t taste as good as homemade pesto, but they are undeniably convenient for everyday meals. Since you can’t select the ingredients yourself in a commercial pesto, it’s best to choose one with the best composition. According to Yuka, one product stands out. Ingredients, nutritional quality, and lack of additives—all its indicators are positive.

Not all commercial pestos are created equal. As Raphaël Haumont pointed out on The Health Magazine, many manufacturers use additives and substitute traditional ingredients with cheaper alternatives: potato starch instead of pine nuts, Grana Padano instead of Parmesan, basil flavoring, or even adding water to thin the mixture. These practices help cut costs but stray from the original recipe.

The Nod green pesto is an exception. Rated 82/100 by the Yuka app, it contains no additives and its recipe includes just ten ingredients, all sourced from organic agriculture in France. Priced at 4.39 euros per jar (about 22 euros per kilogram), it is slightly more expensive than brands like Panzani or Barilla, but its composition is considered more appealing. More than a third of the jar is basil, and no artificial flavors have been added.

Of course, the recipe isn’t completely traditional: canola oil is used instead of extra virgin olive oil and cashews instead of pine nuts. But at this price point, it remains an interesting compromise. For a jarred pesto that stays true to the classic Italian recipe, prices generally hover around 50 euros per kilogram. At that rate, one might seriously consider making it themselves.