12 Store-Bought Pestos, Ranked Worst To Best
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Loaded with ingredients like basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese, pesto packs a punch of delicious complexity. Pesto also has a variety of tasty uses aside from pasta sauce, such as sandwich spreads, marinades, and glazes. There are very few other sauces that can be successfully paired with diverse ingredients like toasted bread, roasted vegetables, grilled steak, cheesy ravioli, or seared salmon — but pesto consistently pulls it off with amazing results.
While pesto isn't extremely difficult to make from scratch, it tends to require fresh ingredients, like basil and pine nuts, that might not always be fully stocked at home. When you're craving the bold flavor of pesto, the store-bought variety offers a convenient solution. However, one potential drawback is being unaware of which pestos on the market are worth your cash, since each brand has its own distinctive flavor profile. While some pestos use traditional ingredients, others cut corners by using cheaper fillers like potato flakes, sunflower oil, and cashews. There can also be glaring differences in texture — some pesto sauces are too oily, while others are too dry and paste-like. Of course, these various factors can have a major impact on the flavor of the pesto, creating even more deviations in quality between brands. As luck would have it, we've taken the time to share our thoughts about a dozen different pestos on the market to help you out.
12. Barilla
Barilla has been in operation since the late 19th century. These days, the company's products can be found in the pasta aisle of grocery stores around the world. Barilla offers an eclectic selection of popular dried pastas like spaghetti and cheese tortellini along with a handful of different marinara sauces and pesto. The company's ubiquitous presence on the market makes it widely accessible to consumers, which definitely gives Barilla an advantage over smaller competitors. While the company's dried pastas are definitely dependable, the truth is that its jarred pesto leaves much to be desired.
One common complaint among consumers is that this pesto is way too oily. That may seem like a somewhat odd critique considering that one of the main ingredients in pesto is olive oil. But the oil in a good pesto should be balanced instead of overwhelming. Another strike against this pesto is that it actually isn't even exclusively made with olive oil. Rather than using only extra virgin olive oil, the company uses a blend of sunflower oil and olive oil. While these oils are fairly similar in consistency, they differ in terms of their flavor profiles, since sunflower oil is more bland and neutral and olive oil has more complexity. Swapping out olive oil for sunflower oil makes Barilla's pesto less tasty.
Another criticism from some customers is that this pesto is a bit bitter. This could be rectified by adding some more grated parmesan cheese into the mix, but we're judging these pestos as they taste on their own right out of the jar. As it stands, this pesto will only suffice when you're all out of options.
11. Bella Terra
Bella Terra offers a variety of products, including gnocchi, canned whole peeled tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil. A noteworthy asset from this brand is the fact that the company offers high-quality organic ingredients. Bella Terra also has a jar of organic pesto, and while the recipe certainly includes some good ingredients, it also contains some shortcomings that you should be aware of.
First, the good news: This pesto features organic basil, garlic, pine nuts, and cheese, which are all crucial ingredients for a delicious pesto. The bad news is that it also contains potatoes and sunflower oil instead of olive oil. The inclusion of potatoes isn't exactly unprecedented: If you look at the ingredient list for jars of pesto these days, you'll notice that more companies are adding potato flakes to the recipe. While we definitely love the almighty potato in different contexts, we're not exactly stoked about its presence in jarred pesto. The truth is that we'd much rather have more garlic, basil, pine nuts, and cheese in the mix. We appreciate Bella Terra's focus on organic products, but we'd prefer to have less potatoes in the recipe and more flavorful ingredients that amp up its complexity.
10. Classico
When it comes to pre-made Italian sauces, Classico is probably one of the most familiar brands on the market. The company sells a wide range of products, including various styles of marinara, vodka sauce, and a handful of creamy alfredo sauces. Of course, no sauce lineup would be complete without some pesto. Classico has two different blends: one made with sundried tomatoes and this traditional style made with basil.
Classico's traditional pesto is made with ingredients that include basil, garlic, soybean oil, and parmesan cheese. Unlike the previous sauces in our ranking, this pesto doesn't feature any kind of nuts, which obviously gives it a less nutty taste and a smoother texture. The good news is that Classico's pesto still manages to bring some decent flavor. Featuring the fairly assertive taste of garlic and cheese, this pesto has some pleasant zing to it.
One common complaint among customers is that this pesto lacks some brightness and freshness. Of course, jarred pesto will never be as fresh as making it from scratch, so it's important to adjust your expectations accordingly. That said, using fresher herbs might give this pesto the herbaceous boost it needs to reach true excellence.
9. De Cecco
De Cecco is another popular company with an extensive line of products to choose from. De Cecco offers everything from tri-color farfalle and spinach fusilli to egg pasta and semolina flour. If you ask us, De Cecco makes some of the best widely accessible dried pasta on the market. But our main focus here is the quality of the sauce offered, and while De Cecco's pesto has some favorable aspects, it still falls short of greatness.
De Cecco's pesto is made with the usual suspects, including extra virgin olive oil, basil, cheese, and pine nuts. The main problem here is less with the ingredients and more with the texture. According to some customers, this pesto has a dry, grainy consistency that makes it difficult to incorporate into pasta.
The texture of pesto is just as important as the taste. Of course, pesto should still have some level of texture, considering there's little chunks of garlic, cheese, and basil in the mix. But if there's not enough oil or the balance of ingredients is somehow out of whack, it can get thick and clumpy, throwing the whole sauce off. De Cecco is still a good choice for pasta, but there's definitely better jarred pesto out there.
8. Rao's
Rao's started as a restaurant in New York, eventually branching out to other locations in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Later on, the business decided to bring some of its sauces and other prepared foods to the masses. Today, there's a good chance that you'll find a few of Rao's products in the pasta aisle at your favorite grocery store, along with other items like soups and frozen pizzas. While plenty of customers tend to be fans of Rao's various tomato-based sauces, some aren't nearly as enthusiastic about the company's pesto.
Some customers take issue with the inclusion of sugar in the ingredients, while others claim this pesto has an odd sourness to it. A quick glance at this pesto's ingredients reveals that this sauce is made with sugar and dried glucose syrup, in addition to sunflower oil and potato flakes. To further complicate matters, others report this pesto is a bit tasteless. All things considered, Rao's pesto doesn't really feature the traditional flavors that we're looking for in pesto — but don't let that stop you from checking out some of the company's other offerings.
7. 365
Whole Foods brand 365 produces a staggering amount of various goods. Offering everything from packages of smoky bacon and grated parmesan cheese to organic coconut milk and chia seeds, 365 makes an impressively eclectic range of prepared foods. Among the company's increasingly sizeable inventory is its jar of basil pesto, which contains some authentic ingredients but has mixed reviews among consumers.
This pesto includes ingredients like basil, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, pecorino romano, and pine nuts. However, like some other pesto sauces on the lower end of this list, it also contains potato starch and sunflower oil. Perhaps that's why some customers report that this pesto is disappointingly mild. We aren't exactly expecting perfection here, but pesto should be bright, flavorful, and vibrant.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some customers claim this pesto has an assertive nuttiness. If you ask us, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, and considering pesto is made with nuts, some level of nuttiness should definitely be expected. That said, the nuttiness should be balanced with the other ingredients. The bottom line: If you enjoy pestos on the nuttier side, you'll probably dig this stuff. Even though some customers have a few issues with this pesto, it's still scored a very impressive rating on Amazon after more than 5,600 reviews — so it clearly has some redeeming qualities.
6. Fratelli D'Amico
Fratelli D'Amico mostly specializes in jarred and canned goods like olives, sun dried tomatoes, and artichokes. The company also makes a pesto sauce that's chock-full of basil, cheese, and cashews. The oil used in this pesto is a blend of sunflower oil and olive oil, and there's also a touch of pine nuts. Opening this jar of pesto unlocks a lovely aroma, and it features a bright, citrusy flavor that's earthy and refreshing. Fratelli D'Amico's alluring scent and taste is part of what elevates it above its competitors.
Even just the sight of this pesto is promising. While some other jarred pesto brands have a dulled color that looks murky and stale, Fratelli D'Amico's pesto has a lively glow that's highly appetizing. Amazon customers are also happy to report that this pesto has a full-bodied texture, calling it "thick and luscious." There are definitely some better pestos to pick from on the market, but this stuff is still a very solid choice that provides a respectable balance of flavors along with a nice consistency. Stir this into some freshly-boiled pasta and you're bound to bring this brand into your regular rotation.
5. Mezzetta
Mezzetta is another popular brand that's commonly found at grocery stores. The company tends to focus on pickled goods like cherry peppers, red onions, and pepperoncinis. But Mezzetta produces plenty of other things too, like Kalamata olives, roasted red bell peppers, and pizza sauce. In addition to various styles of marinara sauce, Mezzetta also makes pesto. There are a few things about Mezzetta's pesto that set it apart from the pack.
The addition of almonds in this pesto gives it a hint of woodsy nuttiness. While almonds are a bit unconventional in this context, the flavor works remarkably well. At the same time, the firmness of the almond bits definitely make an impact on the texture of this pesto, which gives it a subtle crumble. Another somewhat unusual ingredient featured here is the use of rosemary. Faint as it is, the inclusion of rosemary lends the sauce a pleasant fragrance that adds to its complexity. Mezzetta also gets some bonus points for exclusively using extra virgin olive oil in the recipe, instead of thinning out its pesto with tasteless sunflower oil like a lot of other brands seem to be doing these days. There's no doubt that Mezzetta's pesto is tasty, easy to find, and relatively affordable, which helps secure it a respectable spot in our ranking.
4. Alessi
If you're looking for a pesto that keeps it simple, Alessi is a good choice. Featuring traditional ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, basil, pecorino romano, pine nuts, and garlic, this pesto is tasty and straightforward. It has some textural variation without being gritty or overly coarse, striking a delicate balance between smoothness and chunkiness. While customers tend to feel this pesto is a little on the expensive side, the general consensus is that everyone appreciates the quality of its ingredients and the fact that Alessi uses extra virgin olive oil instead of resorting to cheaper vegetable oils.
This pesto also has a touch of balsamic vinegar, which gives the sauce a hint of acidity that keeps its flavor fresh and bright. At only 3.5 ounces, this jar of pesto is definitely on the smaller side, which makes its price point even more difficult to swallow. If this jar were a bit bigger or the price were a little lower, it would place higher in our ranking. That said, this is pesto is still quite tasty, so if you haven't tried it yet and you're looking to switch it up, Alessi's pesto is worthwhile. Pro tip: If you ever want to try and make your own pesto from scratch at home, score yourself a jar of Alessi's pine nuts.
3. Filippo Berio
Filippo Berrio started in the late 1800s making high-quality olive oil. Over the course of generations, the business has expanded its lineup to include a handful of vinegars, glazes, and a variety of pesto sauces. The company's classic pesto has earned a very impressive rating on Amazon after more than 1,700 reviews from customers, thanks to this pesto's fresh flavor that makes it taste like it's homemade.
People also tend to appreciate how affordable this pesto is, which means a lot considering that grocery prices are expected to continue climbing throughout the country. This pesto is made with two different types of cheese (grana padano and pecorino romano) along with pine nuts and cashews. Using a mix of different nuts and cheeses gives this pesto a higher level of richness and a luscious texture. In fact, this pesto is quite cheese-forward, making it a great choice for those of you who like your pesto on the cheesier side (as we do). If you enjoy Filippo Berrio's classic pesto, we'd also recommend exploring its other delicious styles, like its spicy tomato pesto.
2. Gotham Greens
What better place to buy pesto than from a business that grows fresh produce? Gotham Greens owns climate-controlled greenhouses in select locations around the country, and the business focuses on regional deliveries to assure a higher level of freshness. The company offers a wide range of products, selling everything from fresh basil and arugula to green goddess salad dressing and spinach artichoke dip.
The recipe for Gotham Greens' classic pesto is about as simple as it gets, featuring only six ingredients: pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, basil, Parmigiano, and sea salt. There are no potato flakes, no sugar, and no weird fillers — just the good stuff. Unlike the other jarred options on this list, this pesto is refrigerated, which maintains a level of freshness in the sauce that those other products just can't compete with. One customer on Amazon straight up says, this is the "best store-bought pesto I have [ever] had." If that's not a ringing endorsement of greatness, we don't know what is. Between this pesto's wildly fresh flavor and sustainable business model, Gotham Greens is definitely a company that you should support.
1. Kirkland Signature
Most of the time, generic store brands aren't exactly known for having the best quality products. Costco's Kirkland Signature label, however, is often an exception to the rule. Kirkland products offer customers everything from cookware and whiskey to frozen lasagna and bacon bits. Much like plenty of Kirkland Signature's other products, the company's pesto is shockingly good, earning the top slot here for a multitude of reasons.
The taste of this pesto is unbelievably fresh. It's creamy, herbaceous, bright, and garlicky — yet it deliciously and perfectly balances all of these textures and flavors with ease. In fact, fans of this pesto tend to say this stuff is so tasty and convenient that it's hard to justify making it from scratch. On top of being absolutely delicious, this pesto is also very affordably priced considering the amount that you get.
Of course, Costco is known for its bulky products, and that's also the case with Kirkland's pesto sauce. For most of us, this 22-ounce jar of pesto is more than we know what to do with for a single meal — but there's an easy and practical solution here. We'd recommend portioning this out into a few smaller jars and then putting them in the freezer. Whenever you need some for a meal, set a jar in the fridge overnight and let it defrost.
Once you try Kirkland's pesto on pastas, pizzas, dips, spreads, and marinades, you'll be hooked for life. This is a crowning jewel of Kirkland's product line — and easily one of the best store-bought pestos on the market.