sell g'machts Organic Nettle Arugula Pesto. Savory, tart herb pesto made from nettles, arugula, and dried tomatoes – cold-stirred in the Allgäu, vegan, garlic-free.

sell g'machts Organic Nettle Arugula Pesto is an herb pesto made from organic olive oil, 11 percent nettles, white wine vinegar, salted dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds, 5 percent arugula, and basil, seasoned with rock salt and pepper. Katja Will and her team stir it by hand and cold in Weiler im Allgäu; 110 g per jar. No cheese, no nuts, no garlic – a vegan pesto with a slightly tart note.

Organic Nettle Arugula Pesto by sell g'machts is the tart, earthy variety among the Allgäu herb pestos. The stinging nettle, which everyone avoids in the garden, is an old wild vegetable in the kitchen with a mild, green flavor. Here, it is stirred cold with olive oil, sunflower seeds, and white wine vinegar and paired with arugula, which brings a peppery heat. Dried tomatoes provide savoriness and umami, while basil adds a familiar herbal note. The producer describes the pesto as savory and tart and notes that the nettle in a duet with arugula comes across as rather mild.

Mild and green from the nettles, peppery from the arugula, savory from the tomatoes

When opened, the pesto smells of green herbs and dried tomatoes. On the palate, the nettle comes through first: mild, green, and a little earthy, like young spinach. The arugula counters with its peppery note, while the tomato adds savoriness, salt, and a light sweetness. Basil and black pepper round it off, and the sunflower seeds make it creamy. What remains is the slightly tart note the producer mentions itself.

It is one of the two pestos from Weiler that contain absolutely no garlic. The other is the Organic Basil Lemon Balm Pesto, which is fresher and more summery, while this jar tastes earthier and more savory. Those who want more pronounced tomato should choose the Organic Tomato Basil Pesto, the manufacturer’s pesto rosso. Anyone expecting a classic basil pesto will find a tarter, greener version here.

For pasta, on bread, with potatoes, and scrambled eggs

Pasta first. Cook spaghetti, penne, or tagliatelle, fold in two tablespoons of pesto per serving, add a splash of pasta water, and only do this once the pot is off the stove. This keeps the green color. It also goes perfectly with gnocchi, rice, boiled potatoes, and steamed vegetables. A spoonful in scrambled eggs adds herbs and tomatoes to your breakfast, as the producer suggests.

Spread on a slice of baguette, ciabatta, or whole-grain bread with a small side salad, it makes for a light dinner, especially in summer. Spread thinly on a pancake, rolled up, and sliced, it also makes a great addition to a salad. Once opened, the jar belongs in the refrigerator and, according to the producer, should be consumed within 14 days.

Our tip: A tablespoon of pesto over warm unpeeled boiled potatoes, topped with a dollop of quark. Nettles and arugula turn the simplest side dish into a dinner that tastes like spring.

Herbs from three farms and wild harvesting, cold-stirred in Weiler

According to sell g'machts, the herbs come from their own wild collection and from regional organic nurseries. These are the Wetzel vegetable farm in Muthen near Wangen, the Bayrhof near Kempten, and the Hechelfurt farm estate near Meckenbeuren. Processing takes place in the sell g'machts kitchen in Weiler im Allgäu, by hand and without heat treatment, usually on the day after harvesting. "sell g'macht" means "handmade" in the Allgäu dialect, and that is how Katja Will’s team works.

The extra virgin organic olive oil and white wine vinegar come from Byodo, the sunflower seeds from Rapunzel in Legau (Allgäu), and the rock salt from Bickelbacher. The manufactory avoids additives and preservatives; the ingredients alone provide the flavor. The organic control number DE-ÖKO-006 is on the label. Since December 2022, there has been a factory shop directly at the kitchen where you can sample all the varieties.

For fans of tart herbs and for garlic-free kitchens

The Organic Nettle Arugula Pesto is the jar for people looking for wild herbs and a tart note in their pesto. And for households that avoid garlic. You can find all the manufacturer's jars on our sell-g'machts page, and other pestos from different producers in the Pesto category. According to the producer, the ingredient list is free of cheese, nuts, and other mandatory allergens; the seeds are sunflower seeds, and the pesto is vegan. It is not suitable for those looking for a sweet, mild pesto – it remains tart and savory.

Nettle, arugula, and dried tomatoes from the Allgäu, cold-stirred and vegan – the tart herb pesto for pasta, potatoes, and bread.