Recipes › Appetizer › Italian Stuffed Eggs with Pesto Recipe

Italian Stuffed Eggs with Pesto Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Italian stuffed eggs with pesto recipe is an elegant cold appetizer that combines creamy egg yolks with vibrant basil pesto and Parmigiano-Reggiano. This simple yet sophisticated dish showcases classic Italian flavors and makes a stunning presentation at any gathering. Perfect served chilled, it requires minimal cooking and delivers maximum flavor.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
• 25 g (1/4 cup) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 15 g (2 tablespoons) toasted pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) fresh lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Fleur de sel for garnish
• Additional whole basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Carefully place eggs in the water and boil for 10-12 minutes until hard-cooked.

2. Transfer cooked eggs immediately to an ice bath and let cool for 5 minutes.

3. Peel each egg under cool running water, starting from the wider end. Pat dry with paper towels.

4. Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Gently remove yolks and place in a small bowl, keeping egg white halves intact on a serving plate.

5. Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.

6. With the processor running, drizzle in olive oil until a textured paste forms. Add lemon juice and pulse once or twice to combine.

7. Add the egg yolks to the pesto and pulse gently 2-3 times until combined, leaving some texture intact. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Transfer the pesto-yolk mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. Pipe approximately 15 ml (1 tablespoon) into each egg white half.

9. Refrigerate stuffed eggs for at least 30 minutes before serving. Just before serving, garnish each egg half with a small basil leaf and a pinch of fleur de sel.

Substitutions

• For nut-free: replace pine nuts with 15 g (2 tablespoons) toasted sunflower seeds
• For dairy-free: substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano with 25 g nutritional yeast and reduce salt slightly
• For milder pesto: reduce garlic to 1/2 clove or substitute with 5 ml (1 teaspoon) finely minced shallot
• For enzyme concerns: use store-bought pesto if fresh basil is unavailable, using 90 ml (6 tablespoons) in place of fresh ingredients

Tips

• Prepare eggs up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator; fill just before serving to prevent sogginess
• Use a food processor rather than mortar and pestle to avoid over-releasing basil oils, which can cause browning
• For a smoother filling, pass the pesto-yolk mixture through a fine sieve after mixing
• Toast pine nuts lightly in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes just before making pesto to enhance their nutty flavor

Stuffed eggs appear throughout Italian cuisine as 'uova ripiene,' often served as part of an antipasto spread. The addition of pesto elevates this simple preparation to reflect the culinary traditions of Liguria, where basil pesto originated and remains a cornerstone of regional cooking.

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