M&S Green Pesto - 190g

Q: Does M&S Green Pesto contain nuts or dairy?

A: Yes to both. The M&S Green Pesto contains cashew nuts and pine kernels, and three milk-based cheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, Pecorino Romano PDO, and a general cheese. The allergen information confirms it contains cashew nuts and milk, and may also contain other nuts and peanuts. It is worth knowing this before using it for guests with nut or dairy allergies, as the nut content goes beyond the pine kernels you might expect in a standard pesto.

Q: What makes M&S Green Pesto different from the pesto you find in Canadian supermarkets?

A: The M&S version uses 51% basil and includes Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and Pecorino Romano PDO, both of which carry protected designation of origin status, meaning they are the genuine Italian cheeses rather than generic substitutes. It also uses a combination of sunflower oil and extra virgin olive oil, plus cashew nuts alongside pine kernels. The result is a pesto built to a specific British supermarket standard that people who grew up shopping at M&S tend to find immediately familiar.

Q: Is the M&S Green Pesto sold in Canada the same UK product?

A: Yes. This is the same 190g jar of M&S Green Pesto imported from the United Kingdom, not a reformulated or locally produced version. For people who stocked up on it during trips to the UK, or who remember it from British supermarket shelves, it is the same product. It is the sort of thing that ends up in a British grocery order because a decent homemade pasta sauce is oddly hard to replicate without the right jar in the cupboard.